Tad Norris
Service Manager
Tad Norris grew up in Jupiter and Tequesta in the 1960s, spending his childhood just across the street from the Loxahatchee River—back when riverfront property wasn’t especially desirable because of the bugs and dense woods. Nearly every spare moment was spent on the water—fishing, water skiing, diving, gigging, or jumping off bridges—anything that meant being in the river. Although he eventually left when Jupiter no longer resembled the small, close-knit hometown he knew, the water has remained central to his life ever since.
His introduction to Huckins came full circle. In 1986, his father, Capt. Pete Norris, captained the newly built Huckins Yachtfish Princess Pat (Hull 436) for a client in Naples. As a young man visiting the yard, Tad was struck by what he saw—it was his first time seeing Arneson Drives and even an elevator installed on a yacht. He would not return to the yard again until officially joining Huckins in August 2025.
Tad has spent more than 30 years in the marine industry, building a career across multiple disciplines. His experience includes business ownership, serving as Senior Vice President with a major resort developer in the Bahamas and along the East Coast, yacht sales, new-build management for a water taxi project in Istanbul, service and project management with yacht builders and shipyards, and marina construction project management. His first job dates back to the early 1970s, when he worked summers as a part-time second mate aboard the Kon-Tiki, a converted wooden lobster boat turned drift fishing vessel operating out of the Jupiter Inlet.
Most recently, Tad served as General Manager, Construction Project Manager, and Yacht Broker at River Forest Yachting Centers on the Okeechobee Waterway in LaBelle. Previously, he was Service Manager at Hinckley Yachts in Stuart, where he had also spent more than six years earlier in his career. Prior to returning to Hinckley, he served as Project Manager at the Rybovich Superyacht Facility in West Palm Beach, working at both the North Dry Dock Yard and the Main South Yard.
Professionally, Tad is most passionate about making complicated, high-stakes projects feel simple and collaborative for everyone involved—owners, company leadership, trades, subcontractors, and crew. While at Hinckley, he earned the nickname “NATO,” often called upon to step into challenging situations and help owners and contractors find positive resolutions, even when he was not the assigned Service or Project Manager.
On a personal note, Tad considers himself blessed to be married to his wife, Margie, and to be the father of two children, Austin and Marlee. Their home is completed by a lively crew that includes their dog, Auggie, their cat, Ottis, and their African Grey parrot, Sasha. Outside of work, he still enjoys boating, fishing, and surfing, but values time spent traveling and attending events with his family most of all.
One piece of service advice he consistently shares is to stay ahead of both mechanical and cosmetic maintenance, noting that small issues can quickly become major—and expensive—problems if left unattended.
A fun fact about Tad: he is committed to improving and learning every day. If he misses the mark one day, he simply takes another shot the next—it is all about the effort.