Paul Fiore Back At Outerlimits
Hustler Powerboats founder Paul Fiore has rejoined Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats, the Bristol, R.I., custom high-performance powerboat company founded and owned by his son, Mike. Now 70 years old, the senior Fiore will work in sales and customer service, and he’ll be on site at the Bristol facility several days a week.
Shown here with his wife, Diane, Paul Fiore has returned to Outerlimits—the company his son owns and founded.
“I was getting tired of mowing the lawn, taking care of the house and messing with cars, so I decided it was time come back and stimulate my brain,” said Fiore, who officially retired from the company three years ago after a ten-year stint of working for his son. “Even though I’ve been retired, I still know 90 percent of our customers, how we do business and all of the boat show people. I’ve always enjoyed the boat business, and things are really starting to come around. It’s time for me to start having fun again.”
“We could sure use him around here—it’s great having him back,” said Mike Fiore. “He’ll be working closely with Danny Kleitz in everything we do on the sales and customer service sides.”
Paul Fiore started Hustler 1978, sold the company in 1993 and started working for his son’s then-fledgling boat company soon after. Despite his being out of Outerlimits’ day-to-day operations for three years, Fiore said he has remained up to date with the current product line and production practices.
“I’ve been down here every couple of weeks since I left,” he said. “What I really like is that Mike has new production and tooling techniques that he pioneered on the 29 and applied to the new 36. If you can build a more consistent boat, cut down some of the labor and wind up with a better product, that has to be a good thing right? You have to use all the new tools and technology available. You have to stay ahead of the technology.
“When I first started Hustler, technology was my thing,” he continued. “I wasn’t a boat builder so I didn’t know what I was doing or pay attention to what everybody else was doing. Mike is using the same mindset with Outerlimits. I’m pretty impressed with what he’s done, to be honest with you.”
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