Scott Deal, owner of the Maverick Boat Group, was presented with the Dan K. Richardson Entrepreneurship Program’s 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 17th annual Entrepreneur of the Year Award Dinner, held last Thursday evening at the Richardson Center at Indian River State College. Deal’s flourishing businesses have produced four top-of-the-line powerboat divisions: Maverick, Hewes, Pathfinder and Cobia.
The IRSC Foundation and the 13 other founding members of the Dan K. Richardson Entrepreneurship Program established the award to “exemplify the innovation, drive and persistence of a successful entrepreneur,” presenting its first award to its namesake, the late Dan K. Richardson.
Past honorees, friends, family and business colleagues of Deal’s were among the 200 guests at the special occasion. In keeping with his marine connection and passion for fishing, a unique fly-fishing boutonniere had been designed for Deal by IRSC Foundation director of development Melanie Forget, who co-chaired the event with Monique Walker.
The pair produced a stunning aquatic-themed banquet, with tables covered in a watery ocean-like pattern topped with centerpiece bowls of mangroves (artificial, of course) lit from below.
“No mangroves were harmed in the making of these centerpieces,” laughed Walker. “We have this big conservation guy we are honoring; we would never cut down a mangrove!”
Dinner featured tender, braised short ribs catered by Event Makers, and for dessert, the Cake Lady created clever mini-key lime cakes for each guest, decorated with realistic edible fish jumping out of the sea toward a fishing line and hook.
Deal established the Maverick Boat Company more than 30 years ago in conjunction with the annual Maverick Owner’s Tournament. In 1988, the firm purchased Hewes Boats, solidifying the top spot in the flats boat business – a position still held today – and in 1991 developed the Maverick Mirage, the first boat designed for noiseless poling. A creative visionary, Deal designed the Pathfinder boat in 1998, launching the Bay Boat Revolution and forever changing inshore fishing. Maverick Boats continued to expand with the purchase of Cobia Boats in 2005 and recently changed its name to Maverick Boat Group.
Deal also works closely with the Coastal Conservation Association and was the first recipient of the CCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also honored with the Eddie Smith Conservation Award.
“Scott has a real focus to get something done and he also cares about his product and the people who buy his boats. I think that caring makes everything cohesive and everything work,” said wife Susan Blaxill-Deal, who also serves as Maverick’s corporate attorney.
IRSC president Ed Massey explained that the award is determined based on nominations from former award winners and community members, adding, “These are people who have created a business usually from the ground up and fit the definition of a true entrepreneur.”