Jeff Harris Named New COO of Iconic Marine Group
Jeff Harris, an accomplished 40-year marine industry veteran and legendary Hall of Fame boat racer, has been named Chief Operating Officer of Washington, NC-based Iconic Marine Group, which includes Fountain, Baja, and Donzi.
Best known for a storied racing career that includes seven World Speed Records, along with eight World and 12 National boat racing championships, Harris’s real strength is his hands-on experience in every aspect of boat manufacturing, sales and customer service. Among the first employees at Fountain Powerboats, Harris has done it all.
“Jeff and I worked side-by-side rolling glass on that first boat 40 years ago,” said company founder Reggie Fountain. “Whether it’s boat design, hull construction, rigging, sales, warranty or talking to customers at a boat show, Jeff’s understanding of what it takes to make a boat company work is unmatched. Behind the wheel of a center console sport cruiser, a high-performance V-bottom or a 185 mph Unlimited Superboat, there’s nobody better.”
Harris grew up and continues to lives near Iconic’s base of operations along the Pamlico River in Washington, NC. “Nobody respects Iconic’s heritage more than I do,” said Harris about his goals for IMG. “From day one we’ve enjoyed a competitive edge and I’m going to build on that. Whether it’s Fountain’s 43′ NX flagship, the revolutionary Donzi 41′ GT or the popular Baja 27′ Outlaw, boaters expect a performance advantage from Iconic. My job is to add all I’ve learned in racing and manufacturing to an already winning formula.”
“Jeff is the latest addition to IMG’s world-class management team,” said Managing Partner Fred Ross. “When we met I knew instantly that Jeff was the right leader at the right time. He joins IMG on a wave of momentum as the company just completed a record-setting quarter. My intent is to dominate in every category of boats we build and I’m confident nobody can take us there faster than Jeff Harris.”
