My name is Craig Coatney and I had the pleasure and honor of working with Rod for close to 20 years. Anna asked me to speak a little about Rod from the marine business side.
His commitment, his drive and his talents were unwavering.
In a fun loving and humble way Rod made a huge impact on the marine industry. His work and the products he designed are on hundreds of thousands of boats. I think it is safe to say that on almost every body of water (lake, river or ocean) in North America, there are boats, that have products on them, that were designed by Rod Hayward. Not only are these boats out in the market place, but right at this moment boats are going down production lines across the country that have Rod’s products and his designs on them. His work and his influence is everywhere.
Rod was a pioneer in developing new products that raised the bar and set new standards. Years ago he helped revolutionize marine carpet by bringing design and custom patterns into the carpet. In a matter of a few years this carpet became the new standard for high end boats across the country. He was constantly pushing forward, working with new equipment and processes. Incorporating new materials, textures and lighting into his design work. There is no telling what else he had in store for us.
From a customer standpoint Rod was considered a member of their team and a true friend. Someone that they could count on and knew he would deliver. His talents were not limited. He helped many of the top builders of today get started and grow their business, not only in designing their graphics but also designing their corporate logos and image. He was thoughtful and concerned, always listening to customer’s opinions and helping them enhance the look of their boats and develop their unique identity. He would not only help them with the products he designed and produced but with all aspects of their design, inside and outside of the boat. They valued and trusted his opinion and his talents.
Although his talents were great I believe one of Rod’s greatest assets was his character. He was respected and admired by everyone that new him in the industry. He has many friends that will miss him, but they will also remember him forever. We are all going to miss his presence here on this earth. I, and I am sure many of you, feel that our journey with Rod was only half completed. We will all miss Rod but we can all look forward to seeing his smiling face again in Heaven.
We love you Rod!
