This article originally appeared in the October 2024 edition of our sister publication, South Sound Business.
Employees have long taken ownership and pride in the work they do at SAFE Boats International in Bremerton and Tacoma, where they build high-performance boats primarily for the military, Coast Guard, police and fire first responders, and other uniformed personnel.
“Our team has always really felt that mission,” said Richard Schwarz, CEO of SAFE Boats, which is named for its wrap-around collar design — Secure Around Flotation Equipped. “There’s a purpose behind the company and the customers that we serve,” he said, adding employees pride themselves in building the best boats for people in uniform doing important and dangerous work. Since March 2023, the company’s nearly 300 employees have even more reason to take pride in their work — every one of them was made an owner in the company when SAFE Boats transitioned to an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP…