Dec 3, 2024

A Letter from Quadrant’s Managing Director:

Boating BC honoured Campbell Black with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the “Anchored in Excellence” conference in Vancouver this November.

Over 45 years, Campbell Black’s work has generated thousands of marine career opportunities through the growth of his manufacturing and marine service companies: Current Designs Kayaks (1983-1999) and Blackline Marine (1980-present). Campbell and his dedicated staff have kept `time-on-the-water’ safe and accessible for more than 14,000 kayakers and countless thousands of powerboaters and sailors through their design research/manufacturing and hi-tech repair of composite and rigging structures. The company reputations speak volumes about Campbell’s business development strategies and leadership success with people.

His dedication to education, apprenticeship, and certification for the small craft marine industry has supported these careers. As one of the founders of Quadrant Marine Institute in the ’90s, Campbell was instrumental in developing curriculum and delivering the Marine Repair / Marine Service Technician apprenticeship. In the early 2000’s, he sat on the board of the BC Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commission (ITAC), now known as Skilled Trades BC. Through his roles at ITAC and Quadrant, Campbell and the other board members created competency-based assessments to help marine employers foster skill development at work. These processes are still an integral part of the Marine Service Technician assessment today.

In the short decade I’ve worked with Campbell, I have witnessed many hundreds of lives directly or even generationally impacted by his dedication. Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t say, “How’s Campbell? He’s one of the best teachers/mentors I ever had.” Campbell Black’s efforts have created career foundations for the small craft industry in BC and beyond for future generations to build upon.

He’s a daily inspiration to me personally – even when he’s not around.  I find myself quoting Campbell-isms to our team. “Things don’t happen just because they are good ideas – they happen because people care.”, is one of my favourites. Campbell is most certainly someone who cares and inspires others to do so as well. The evidence is in the number of lives he has impacted through the success of his business and education initiatives.

It’s an honour to continue working with and learning from Campbell.

Shelley McIvor

Managing Director, QMI

To read more about Campbell Black’s time in the Marine Industry please check out this article in Pacific Yachting