Corona-Based W.D. Schock Corp. SoldBy: The Log Staff Reports | Tuesday, January 04, 2011 4:23:00 PMLast updated: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 4:23:00 PMCORONA -- Sailboat builders Tom and Jane Schock announced the sale of W. D. Schock Corp. to Alexander Vucelic von Raduboj, effective Jan. 1. Alexander is taking over as president of the company and will be responsible for day-to-day operations.
Photo by: Courtesy of W.D. Schock Corp.Change of Watch -- From left, Jane and Tom Schock announced the sale of their family boat-building business, W.D. Schock Corp., to Alexander Vucelic -- who learned to sail in a W.D. Schock Naples Sabot as a child in Southern California.
Preparations for the changeover have been in the works for more than a year, Tom Schock said. “Alexander and I have worked closely together for the last 18 months on this transaction. He has become an involved team member -- in and around the shop -- leading up to the official ‘change of watch,’ and has watched closely as the new Harbor 30 tooling has come to life.
“Alexander respects and appreciates the legacy of W. D. Schock Corp., and he understands the unique aspects of multi-generational family businesses, having himself grown up in a family business which spanned five generations,” Tom Schock added.
Vucelic has more than 20 years of experience in the world of capital goods manufacturing and served as chief operating officer at Electric Machinery of Minneapolis, a family held manufacturer of utility-grade electric motors and generators. He grew up boating in Southern California, where his first sailboat was a bright yellow Schock-built Naples Sabot, he said. He has been an active club racer ever since -- and his children are also enthusiastic sailors.
Tom Schock will remain on the W.D. Schock Corp. Board of Directors and will continue to connect with sailors in the new role of brand ambassador, the company stated. Jane Schock will also continue with the company, helping to ensure a smooth transition -- but both said they have taken “a first, but small step toward full retirement.”
“Dealers should see more of me in my new brand ambassador role, helping to support their efforts,” Tom Schock added. “Sailors should also see me more often, out on the water.”
W. D. Schock Corp. was founded in 1946 in Newport Beach by Tom Schock’s father, W.D. “Bill” Schock. The company has built more than 13,000 boats in its 65-year history, ranging in size from the 8-foot Naples Sabot to the Schock 55.
The company is responsible for many innovations in the industry. In 1965, Schock introduced a Penguin that has been called the first production vacuum-bagged fiberglass and Unicore sandwich sailboat. Schock has built racers and cruisers, monohulls and catamarans; and in 2001, Tom Schock collaborated with Dyna Yachts to introduce the canting ballast twin foil Schock 40.
Boats currently in production are the Sabot, Lehman 12, Lido 14, Santana 20, Santana 22, Wavelength 24, Schock 35, Schock 40, and the Harbor daysailer line. The Harbor line includes the Harbor 14, Harbor 20 and Harbor 25 -- and a Harbor 30 model will be launched this spring.
According to a statement released on Jan. 3, W.D. Schock Corp. experienced robust growth in 2010 and has a solid order book for 2011.
Alexander Vucelic graduated from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, earned his master’s degree in architecture at the University of California, Los Angeles and earned his master’s degree in business administration at Columbia University. He is a California-licensed architect and a private pilot.
“While at architecture school, a couple of my classmates and I dabbled in sailboat design,” Vucelic recalled. “Little did I realize that nearly 30 years later, I’d be taking the helm at W. D. Schock.
“This is both an honor and a pleasure: The company has a rich tradition of building boats, which represent the best that life has to offer -- family, friends and fun,” Vucelic said. “What W. D. ‘Bill’ Schock started back in 1958 with the Lido 14 lives on, with Steve Schock’s designs for the Harbor line continuing that tradition.
“The quality and attention to detail in these boats result in what I like to think of as connoisseurs’ boats (and) the pleasure of owning them increases over time,” he said. “I will work hard to support the Schock sailors, dealers and fleets.”
Preparations for the changeover have been in the works for more than a year, Tom Schock said. “Alexander and I have worked closely together for the last 18 months on this transaction. He has become an involved team member -- in and around the shop -- leading up to the official ‘change of watch,’ and has watched closely as the new Harbor 30 tooling has come to life.
“Alexander respects and appreciates the legacy of W. D. Schock Corp., and he understands the unique aspects of multi-generational family businesses, having himself grown up in a family business which spanned five generations,” Tom Schock added.
Vucelic has more than 20 years of experience in the world of capital goods manufacturing and served as chief operating officer at Electric Machinery of Minneapolis, a family held manufacturer of utility-grade electric motors and generators. He grew up boating in Southern California, where his first sailboat was a bright yellow Schock-built Naples Sabot, he said. He has been an active club racer ever since -- and his children are also enthusiastic sailors.
Tom Schock will remain on the W.D. Schock Corp. Board of Directors and will continue to connect with sailors in the new role of brand ambassador, the company stated. Jane Schock will also continue with the company, helping to ensure a smooth transition -- but both said they have taken “a first, but small step toward full retirement.”
“Dealers should see more of me in my new brand ambassador role, helping to support their efforts,” Tom Schock added. “Sailors should also see me more often, out on the water.”
W. D. Schock Corp. was founded in 1946 in Newport Beach by Tom Schock’s father, W.D. “Bill” Schock. The company has built more than 13,000 boats in its 65-year history, ranging in size from the 8-foot Naples Sabot to the Schock 55.
The company is responsible for many innovations in the industry. In 1965, Schock introduced a Penguin that has been called the first production vacuum-bagged fiberglass and Unicore sandwich sailboat. Schock has built racers and cruisers, monohulls and catamarans; and in 2001, Tom Schock collaborated with Dyna Yachts to introduce the canting ballast twin foil Schock 40.
Boats currently in production are the Sabot, Lehman 12, Lido 14, Santana 20, Santana 22, Wavelength 24, Schock 35, Schock 40, and the Harbor daysailer line. The Harbor line includes the Harbor 14, Harbor 20 and Harbor 25 -- and a Harbor 30 model will be launched this spring.
According to a statement released on Jan. 3, W.D. Schock Corp. experienced robust growth in 2010 and has a solid order book for 2011.
Alexander Vucelic graduated from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, earned his master’s degree in architecture at the University of California, Los Angeles and earned his master’s degree in business administration at Columbia University. He is a California-licensed architect and a private pilot.
“While at architecture school, a couple of my classmates and I dabbled in sailboat design,” Vucelic recalled. “Little did I realize that nearly 30 years later, I’d be taking the helm at W. D. Schock.
“This is both an honor and a pleasure: The company has a rich tradition of building boats, which represent the best that life has to offer -- family, friends and fun,” Vucelic said. “What W. D. ‘Bill’ Schock started back in 1958 with the Lido 14 lives on, with Steve Schock’s designs for the Harbor line continuing that tradition.
“The quality and attention to detail in these boats result in what I like to think of as connoisseurs’ boats (and) the pleasure of owning them increases over time,” he said. “I will work hard to support the Schock sailors, dealers and fleets.”