Bill Zebedee passed away last September 15 in a hospital in Boise, Idaho. For several years he had been living in nearby Medford, Oregon, and had been flown to Boise just before he died.
His name should be familiar to many of us as the successful owner and CEO of Southampton-based Hovermarine. Under Bill's leadership, Hovermarine was, for many years in the 70s and early 80s, one of the few successful British shipbuilders. This brief note is not an obituary but rather a record of how Bill Zebedee's drive and energy combined with English expertise to build a successful firm that sold 100+ of its' HM2 and HM5 sidewall surface effect ships to operators in over 30 countries.
Bill, then living in Pittsburgh in his native United States, acquired an interest in the company in 1970 as an investor. His involvement gradually increased until he moved with his family to England in 1976 and took up the role of chairman and CEO.
He was a focused, purposeful and enthusiastic leader, always early to work and starting the day pacing the shop floor, smoking an early cigar. The senior people he gathered around him had a similar sense of commitment. This was reflected across the entire workforce and made the firm an unusual place to work in 1970s England. There was a solidarity from top to bottom that seemed lacking in most of the rest of the country. Hovermariners were a band of brothers. The net result was that the firm was greater than the sum of its individual elements. The sense of overall togetherness was very appealing.
A major feature was the lack of hierarchy. Bill was leader. As much as anything, it was his talent and energy that made him that. Regular meetings were few, formality absent. Meetings were held impromptu. Nonetheless, make no mistake, this was a serious and effective organisation. Staff were seasoned professionals. Decisions were made fast, based on data, less on gut feel. Production techniques were modern and efficient, inventories kept to a minimum.
The initial product line consisted of a single 16-metre fast ferry model. Bill and the team recognised the basic design had many more possibilities. By the early '80s Hovermarine was selling multiple product types and sizes ranging from those fast ferries (over 30 of those to Hong Kong) to oil field crewboats, harbour safety patrol boats and firefighters in Tacoma, Washington. The company had vessels operating on Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and the Dead Sea in Jordan, the highest and lowest navigable waters in the world.
From its original plant at Hazel Wharf on the Itchen, the company had expanded into the former Supermarine factory just along the riverbank. Acquired by Bill along with the Solaris company, the additional production space was fully put to use with the arrival of the 200-seat HM5 line in 1980.
These successes were eventually recognized when the company received the Design Council Award for its "HM200 and HM500 Series of Hovercraft," and the The Queen's Award for Export Achievement. These were proud occasions for Bill and the many men and women of Hovermarine who worked so hard for the company's success.
Bill's chapter in the life of Hovermarine came to an end in 1980. He received an approach from the leadership of Vosper in early 1979. They had been following the company's progress with interest and Sir John Rix, then their Managing Director, was interested in acquiring the firm. A lengthy period of negotiations followed with Bill finally selling the company to them on New Year's Eve. The fate of the company under their hands is another chapter.
Bill and his family moved family back to the States shortly after, living in California while he pursued many other interesting ventures. Late in life, he and several of his former senior people at Hovermarine came together to write the story of the company's history under his hand. This can be seen in the book Hovermarine: The Rise and Fall of a Pioneer in the High Speed Marine Market.
Bill was a force. The archetypal entrepreneur, he remained active until the day he died. He and the men and women he led in Southampton had a lasting influence on the marine industry and the lives of many in Southampton.
He left us with good reason to be proud of what was done there.