Sunstream was founded in 1996 by Ken and Deborah Hey, who, as boating fanatics, wanted to use their boat like their car, and bring a higher level of service to the boat lift industry. At that time lifts were slow, ugly, and had failures that often sunk boats or injured people.
Ken used his aerospace background to pioneer a remote-controlled, hydraulic system for both freestanding and floating lifts. Prior to Sunstream, Ken consulted at Boeing for nine years. During that time Ken sold 5 patents for failsafe jet engine mounts and won Boeing’s prestigious Top Patent of the Year Award, twice. Deborah worked as a sales and marketing manager for several companies, including a division of IKON, and wanted to bring a level of customer service beyond the marine industry. Combining their expertise, Ken and Deborah devised a business plan known as Sunstream Boat Lifts.
From the beginning, Sunstream Boat Lifts has been one of the fastest growing companies in the Northwest, and continues to hold the record as the longest standing company on the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Companies list. It is also one of the few marine industry companies to make the Inc500 list. Sunstream has been awarded Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Pacific Lutheran University’s Family Business of the Year Award, and the Washington State Governor’s award for Emerging Exporter of the Year.
The company initially began in Seattle, Washington and has since expanded to Chicago and Florida. After seeing tremendous growth, Sunstream finally grew beyond its walls and moved into a larger facility, just south of Seattle in Kent, Washington. Currently, Sunstream operates two direct markets and an international dealer network that continues to rapidly expand. Sunstream, which was once a small, local company boat lift company, is now a global leader in its industry. In 2007, the company will be delivering on a large contract to supply lifts to the US Navy. This contract will assist in accelerating Sunstream’s continued rapid growth in 2007. After just 10 years, Sunstream is well on its way to becoming the undisputed, world-wide leader in both the recreational and government markets.
As Sunstream experiences continued growth, the founding principles of incorporating technology and customer service are at the forefront of each new idea. Sunstream strives to have not only the best products, but the best company! |
