Marinalife had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Audrey Willmot – General Manager at Harbortown Marina, a property that is part of Safe Harbor Marinas. Indulge and get to know her better!
How did you get into the marine industry?
My mom has worked across the street from Harbortown for as long as I can remember. I was fresh out of college, and she told me about an open position at Harbortown. Of course, I immediately jumped on it. Who wouldn’t want to work on the water every day? Since then Harbortown has become my second home for the past 11 years.
What is the funniest moment you’ve experienced at the Harbortown Marina?
Several years ago I was hanging Christmas lights for our holiday potluck with the marina’s concierge. Seeing two girls on a ladder hammering in nails and hanging lights from the roof brought us a lot of advice from members and maintenance staff. Anyone that knows me knows that I’m OCD about these sorts of things so I kindly declined any help assuring them we had it under control. When it was time to reveal our masterwork of lights they came on for about two seconds and then all shorted out. It was like the scene out of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It was a good lesson in overloading an outlet and taking advice when offered. Some of the members still tease me about it today.
What do you do on your days off?
I’m a native Floridian — born and raised right here in Fort Pierce, Florida. I’m a wife of a firefighter and a mother of three, so on my days off I stay busy. I run the booster club for my high school alma mater and volunteer for various local nonprofits. During the week you will find me driving all around town chauffeuring
my kids to gymnastics and swim practices. On the weekends, if we’re not traveling South Florida to various swim meets, we are spending time on the water or barbecuing with family and friends.
What would your marina staff say is your best quality?
Attention to detail. I’ve been called a perfectionist once or twice. I get this quality honestly from my mother. I like things to be uniform. I’ve never thought of it as a negative thing. Sometimes it probably drives my staff crazy, but in the end I think they have come to appreciate it.
If you were a brand, what would be your motto?
“Think Big.” My high school had a plaque that read “When you are through improving yourself – you’re through.” I try to live by this. I’m a true believer that no matter how far you’ve come there is always room for improvement and growth. With determination, hard work and faith you can do anything you put your mind to. Harbortown, for example, has come such a long way from when I started. I would like to think I had something to do with that. I couldn’t tell you a better home for your boat, but I am still always striving to improve the marina experience for our members and guests.
What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
Drag my kids out of bed and then make a large pot of coffee.
If you were on a deserted island and could only bring one person with you, who would it be and why?
This is a hard one. It would be a tough pick between my husband and my dad. My husband is a firefighter/paramedic plus he’s an avid outdoorsman. My dad on the other hand can make just about anything out of nothing. Even as a grown adult I still go to him with help even for the smallest things, and he’s always there without hesitation. Let’s get real though, I’d take my girlfriends (laughing). Just kidding, my husband … I pick my husband!
