"Always have fun" says Chantel Leturneau, marking 20 years with NSBA

Chantel Leturneau is magnetic. Social and smiling, she is often the person at our trade show booth introduces the NSBA to the boating public or potential members. It has been twenty years since she was introduced to the NSBA, and it started with the booth.

In 2005 Chantel worked in the same office space as NSBA staff, and made quick friends. With her spritzy personality she was soon asked if she might help at the booth at a trade show. Chantel likes to travel and experience new things. She said yes.

"Boat shows were a big part of what Chantel did, we traveled a lot," says Tim Edwards, founder of the NSBA and its first Executive Director, "she became known," he chuckles, "whenever I’d be at a show without her people would start to ask, 'where’s Chantel?'”

Chantel's help was much appreciated and she was soon asked to join staff. It was a bit of a leap, as she had zero experience with boats and boat building. "I literally was learning from ground zero," she says, "and it's a very steep learning curve."

She rose to the occasion and soon put her other personal strengths to work. "I saw quite quickly that she was artistic, very creative, and when we talked about the early days of creating a directory, she really picked up on that in terms of design, layout, same with banners," says Tim, "her creative talent was a huge asset to the NSBA."

Chantel is an artist who sometimes sells her work (Instagram @thechantel, Facebook Art By Chantel) and her eye for design comes in handy to this day when we print our annual member directory or new banners for trade shows. She also discovered a love for travel. "When I started with the NSBA then I started going new places," she says, "and the more I travel the more I wanted to travel."

Once Chantel started to learn about boat building and visiting boatyards, she was floored. "I was shocked by how much actually happened here," she says, "it’s like the best-kept secret how many boatyards there are and the variety of boats that are built here, and the quality of craftsmanship. I found that all very shocking." Boat builders were making custom boats and semi-custom boats, tailoring their creations to the function of the vessels and the desires of customers.

For Chantel it was unexpected. "We have something really really special here in the Maritimes," she says.

Chantel says the people she works with are part of what makes her job fun: "I’ve met a lot of [boat building] company owners," she says, "and without a doubt every single person is one of the most down to earth people you will ever meet. They’re not your typical CEOs and presidents, they are salt of the earth people." 

The NSBA's current Executive Director, Jan Fullerton, also appreciates Chantel's diverse skills. "One of the biggest things she brings to the table—and she brings a lot to the table," says Jan, "is organizational history, and that's both the history of the NSBA but also the history of what the NSBA has done in the past with industry members and on behalf of industry." Chantel keeps track of what we've done in the past and helps us make decisions going into the future, keeping it all fresh and forward-facing.

After more than seven years together at the NSBA, Jan continues to enjoy working with Chantel. "I like that she's a straight shooter, so I always know where I stand with her," she says, "she also is OK with other people being direct...that's definitely something I value in the team dynamic."

Chantel has traveled far and wide doing her work advocating for boat builders and the boating industry. And she's done it all even though she gets seasick!

It's a great adventure for Chantel, and a great fit for the NSBA. "Sometimes it feels like the blink of an eye and sometimes it feels like an eon," says Chantel, "but I’ve definitely had a lot of fun over the years, and I’ve definitely experienced some things that I never would have done otherwise."

Thank you for 20 years, Chantel! The NSBA thanks you for all your work, and most of all for the fun you bring.