Marine Fabricator September/October 2022 - 32

Dan Johnson » Age 40
Mike's Marine Custom Canvas
Virginia Beach, Va.
Marine Fabricator
22 years in the industry
You could say that Dan Johnson (on the
right in the photo) started in this industry
when he was 12 years old. That's when
his dad (on the left) launched Mike's
Marine Custom Canvas in the garage
of their home. He put the family to
work too. Johnson remembers making
roll-up straps with his brother while
eating breakfast.
When Johnson's dad retired recently
after 28 years, Dan and his wife took
over the company. " My favorite thing
about the job is being outside working
with my hands. I love making the ideas
in my head a reality, " he says. " I also like
the customer service side of the business.
I look forward to exceeding the
clients' expectations. "
Johnson thinks young people can
make a difference in the industry.
" I believe that young people have
bright imaginations and the ability
to think outside of the box. They
offer fresh ideas and offer creative
solutions to simplify complicated
problems, " he says.
Ivan Jose Sanchez » Age 39
SewLong Custom Covers
Salt Lake City, Utah
Team Leader and CAD Designer
Five years in the industry
Stephen Sawyer » Age 31
Signature CanvasMakers
Hampton, Va.
Director of Operations
Four years in the industry
Ivan Jose Sanchez was an engineer in his
home country of Venezuela. When he emigrated
to the U.S., he wanted something
less stressful but still had big dreams.
Sanchez was hired at SewLong to do
odd jobs. He transitioned into cutting
and sewing upholstery, and his engineering
background helped him as he was
trained in patterning and CAD. " My
start at SewLong taught me that I can
learn anything and become good at it. To
start out sweeping and then become a
team leader means a lot to me, " he says.
Sanchez believes young fabricators can
be catalysts for change. " At the last MFA
conference, I saw some resistance to
automatization, " he recalls. " Young
people are not afraid to use it. They
can be a pivot point to a new way
to build covers or something related
to our industry. "
Stephen Sawyer was looking for a career
that could provide a creative outlet,
enable him to work with his hands and
challenge his mind. When he joined
Signature CanvasMakers, he realized
the marine canvas industry fi t the bill.
" I enjoy fi guring out ways to overcome
challenges and improve processes. I also
like being involved in a project from
visualization to realization, " he says.
Sawyer likes educating customers
about marine fabrication. " People often
look at our work and think that it's easy
to do, " he says. " When they are given
even a little perspective into the complexities,
they change their mind and that
adds credibility to our industry. "
He also thinks there is an advantage to
seasoned veterans partnering with young
workers. " As the lines between the
traditions of our craft and the technology
that drives it forward become
blurred, collaboration can bring a
fresh perspective, " says Sawyer.
32 Marine Fabricator | September/October 2022
Marine Fabricator September/October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Marine Fabricator September/October 2022
