30 years is an impressive amount of time to devote to any career, and we at Sabre Yachts are extremely lucky that Tony decided to give them to us! Tony’s dedication, attention to detail, and excellent technical skills keep him in high demand and extremely busy. Even more than his dedication to his work, our interview with Tony made it clear that his dedication to his family exceeds anything else. His work station, while full of family photos, is also in close proximity to actual family – we are fortunate to have both Tony’s brother and youngest son as part of the Sabre team as well! It’s not hard to see why Sabre’s usual 30-year Anniversary gift, a wooden rocking chair, just wasn’t going to cut it for a young-at-heart and apparently excellent dancer like Tony – instead, we gave Tony a beautiful coffee table and the deep gratitude of everyone here at Sabre!
Tony’s 30 year Anniversary gift
If you could learn any instrument what would you play?
The guitar so I could sing Kim her favorite song – Heaven’s Already Here, by Collective Soul. But first I guess I would have to learn how to sing.
If you could send a message back through time to your younger self what would you say?
You’re going to be okay. Lay off the salt and butter.
What do you cook when no one else is home?
Cream chip beef, or peanut butter and lots of fluff.
If you had to sell everything you owned and could only keep one thing, what would you keep any why?
I wouldn’t want to lose my family’s memories, so I would probably keep a box of our pictures.
Tell me one thing that none of your coworkers know about you:
I’m as transparent as they come.
What’s something your mother taught you that you’ve never forgotten?
Don’t play with matches – but the lesson sank in a little late!
Tony and his son Kyle
Tell me about the person who has impacted your life the most:
Kim. She’s the person that completes me.
What’s the most important thing you learned in school?
Better to ask what I didn’t learn in school…
Tell me about your earliest childhood memory:
My brother, Timmy, and I were playing under the kitchen sink and got locked in – claustrophobia set in pretty quickly.
What movie, no matter how many times you’ve seen it, do you have to watch every time it’s on?
Anything with John Wayne, if I had to pick one I’d probably say True Grit.
Tell me about someone who is your hero:
My mom. She has always been there for a lot of people.
Tony, hard at work when I found him for this interview
What super power would you like to have?
The power to heal, if that’s a super power.
Name one thing that always makes you smile:
Thinking about my family, Kim and the kids, and the Andy Griffith Show.
If you won a million dollars what would you spend it on?
I would take Kim, and our kids and grand-kids, away on an awesome vacation. Then I would take a vacation just Kim and I, probably to the Grand Canyon – she’s always wanted to go there.
If you could talk to someone who has passed away who would you talk to and what would you say?
Grandpa Eino, he passed when I was in Jr. High School. I’d say “Thank You,” he would know what I mean.
Would you rather be deaf or blind?
Deaf. I can see and feel the good things. It’s hard to listen to the news these days.
Tell me about the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen:
That’s easy, my wife Kim. It’s been twenty-six years since we met, and she’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Congratulations and Thank You, Tony!