Kent, Wash. – Sunstream® Boat Lifts, the leading manufacturer of high-quality free-standing and free-floating boat lifts and the SwiftShield™ Automatic Boat Cover System, announced today CEO Ken Hey has been elected to the National Marine Manufacturers Association’s Marine Accessory and Components Division Board of Directors.
The NMMA’s Marine Accessories and Components Division (MACD) is comprised of more than 600 companies in both the OEM and aftermarket segments that are vested in the success of the association’s efforts to protect and grow recreational boating through public policy advocacy and industry-focused growth initiatives.
“Sunstream has developed a cohesive team that collaborates to bring about new products every year,” said Ken Hey, CEO of Sunstream Boat Lifts. “This drive, coupled with a unique understanding of what our market wants and needs, is what makes Sunstream the leader in boat lifts. We are proud to have greatly enhanced the boating experience such that people are boating more often, with more fun, and keep boating practical for today’s busy lifestyle. I look forward to joining my peers in the NMMA MACD Board of Directors to advocate for the betterment of the industry.”
As an avid lifelong boater, 100-ton USCG captain, busy business executive and family man, Sunstream founder and CEO Ken Hey is driven to make boating more fun and accessible. After earning a BS and master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University, and an MBA from University of Washington, Hey spent a decade working in the aerospace industry. He started his boat lift career by designing the world’s first hydraulic boat lift, the SunLift™, which shifted the paradigm in free-standing boat lifts from cable or water to hydraulic, which is now recognized as the standard. He then expanded effortless boating to all markets, inventing the world’s first hydraulic floating lift, the FloatLift™. This transformed the free-floating boat lift market to high-speed, foam-filled, unsinkable hydraulic lifts, versus the traditional air-filled lifts of the day. Hey created the first smartphone app to control a marine product via WiFi, which garnered his first Boating Industry Top Product nod in 2008. He then adapted this technology to Bluetooth for added range and convenience. In 2014, Hey invented the first automatic boat cover, SwiftShield, which enables users to take their cover on and off in 30 seconds with remote control or the smartphone app. To meet the demand for custom covers for SwiftShield, Hey pioneered digital boat covers, creating covers by scanning a boat with an iPhone, computer designing, and digitally cutting, which enables lead times in days vs months. In 2021, he invented the first zero water depth free-standing lift, the SunLift SLX, which allows boaters to install their Sunstream boat lift in extreme shallow water. At the 2021 Miami International Boat Show, the SunLift SLX (now known as the SunLift X) was recognized with an Innovation Award in the Docking and Fendering Equipment category. Following on its success, Hey innovated even further by developing the SportLift, which simplifies the storing and launching of paddlesport water toys like kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards. The SportLift was selected as one of Boating Industry’s 2022 Top Products. Most recently, Hey revolutionized cable boat lifts and waterfront properties forever with the first in a new range of cable boat lifts, the Sunstream Helix™ line, the new Helix-P piling lift. Helix-P has unprecedented hydraulic speed (12x faster) and its sleek hidden structure makes for easier boarding, reduced noise and launching and lifting speeds as fast as 15 seconds.
For more information on Sunstream or its complete line of high-quality boat lifts and accessories, please call (253) 395-0500, or visit www.sunstreamboatlifts.com.
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About Sunstream Corp:
Sunstream Corporation, based in Seattle Washington, is the leading portable hydraulic boat lift, hoist, and automatic boat cover system manufacturer in the world. Founded in 1996, Sunstream has been recognized multiple times for their innovation and fast growth. www.sunstreamboatlifts.com