
John Fitzgerald
President
The personal and professional guidepost for John Fitzgerald is servant leadership. This commitment to a life of service applies to his family, community, and his role as the president of Saunders Yachtworks. At Saunders, the mission of the company is to provide extraordinary service.
John’s career started in public education as a teacher and administrator. He joined Saunders Engine Company in 1999 and is the third-generation member of the Saunders/Fitzgerald family to lead the company. As president, John has full responsibility for the financial performance and daily operations of the company. He has also served on industry boards such as ABBRA and the US Superyacht Association. Outside of work, he volunteers with many community organizations including L’Arche Mobile, KAIROS, and Fairhope Unite/Hope Community. He has followed his children into coaching youth sports teams and participating in community theater. He and his wife, Andolyn, also run the Carolyn Williams Saunders Foundation.

M. BOYD SIEGEL
Vice President & General Manager
Boyd joined Saunders in 2014. While his professional background is in advertising and business, he grew up along the Gulf Coast, and his passion for repairing and rebuilding locally produced boats led him to pursue a career move to the marine industry. In his time at Saunders, he has worked in our crafts, special projects, customer service, and operations departments. As general manager, Boyd oversees the customer service and sales department, in addition to all operational activities. In his role as vice president, Siegel contributes to the overall direction of the company and has executive leadership responsibilities as a member of the board of directors.

HANNAH BEASON
Director of Customer Service
Hannah joined Saunders in 2014 in the Gulf Shores Parts Department, and she quickly became a go-to person at the counter for customers and employees alike. She is accomplished at navigating customer service and relationship building at the parts counter. Hannah was recently named the Director of Customer Service, leading the customer service team. She works directly with our customers, writing service orders and coordinating with service managers and subcontractors to get work completed.

ALEX EDWARDS
Customer Service Advisor
Alex joined Saunders in 2024. Previously, he managed a local marina for five years and most recently worked as a parasail captain in Gulf Shores. As a customer service advisor, Alex serves as a liaison between our customers and our operations team ensuring that customer requests are completed to their specifications.

BOB NYGAARD
Customer Service Advisor
Bob joined our customer service team in 2024 as a customer service advisor, having previously worked in our boatyard and systems service departments. A retired U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant (2010), Bob most recently worked in outboard-powered boat sales. His technical marine knowledge, combined with his passion for recreational boating and fishing, makes him an invaluable resource for our customers. In his role as a customer service advisor, Bob is responsible for being a liaison between our customers and our operations departments making sure all customer requests are completed to their specifications.

PAT GREER
Customer Service Advisor
Pat came to Saunders in 2006 and has worked in the mechanical service and special projects departments. His mechanical knowledge and field service experience make him a great resource on our customer service team. In his role as a customer service advisor, Pat is responsible for making sure all customer requests are completed to their specifications, and he works directly with department managers and subcontractors to ensure work is progressing. Pat is also our primary contact for outboard service and sales.

DAVID NUNEZ
Diesel Service Manager
David joined the company in 1994 as a mechanical service apprentice and brought with him the skills he had learned as an A&P mechanic working primarily on helicopters. David quickly grew into a lead field service mechanic in the early days of Saunders Yachtworks and reliably filled that role for 15 years. He then spent several years as the Vessel Systems Manager and has now moved back to his roots as the Diesel Service Manager.

DAVID "CHEESE" DISOURYAVONG
Gulf Shores Boatyard Manager
Cheese joined Saunders in 2007 as part of the boatyard crew at our Orange Beach facility. In 2010, he began running our 165-ton Travelift in Gulf Shores, as well as training as a lead technician in both yards. As boatyard manager, Cheese oversees all service basin and boatyard operations, including haul outs, bottom service, and driveline and running gear maintenance and repair.

SETH MCGONIGAL
Crafts Manager
As crafts manager, Seth is responsible for all carpentry, fiberglass, and paint operations at Yachtworks and Marine Center. Seth has worked in the boating industry his entire life, becoming a full-time yachtwright in 2013 after completing college. His father was a yachtwright for 40 years so the career came naturally. Seth’s experience as an accomplished marine carpenter and business owner in yacht repair were great preparation for joining our company in 2019.

CHRIS EDWARDS
Vessel Systems Manager
The son of a sportfish boat captain, Chris has been around the marine industry his whole life. He attended the University of Alabama, worked at J&M Tackle, and then joined the Saunders team in 2016 in the boatyard. He then transferred to the systems department as a technician a few years later. In his current position as Vessel Systems Manager, Chris is responsible for supervising, assisting, and dispatching technicians within the systems and electronics departments and ensuring all work is completed to customer specifications.

DANIEL PORTER
Outboard Service Manager
As Outboard Service Manager, Daniel is responsible for communicating with Service Advisors and customers on work specifications, dispatching outboard service technicians, and providing estimates for service and repower projects. Daniel joined Saunders with more than a decade of outboard service and diagnostic experience, as well as knowledge and repair experience on depth finders, pumps, and other boat accessories.

ASHLEY RAINER ANDREWS
Marketing Manager
In her role as marketing manager, Ashley manages all advertising, public relations, social media and web content, as well as planning and coordinating all special events, trade shows and tournament participation. She came to Saunders in 2011 with local, regional and national marketing communications experience in education and in the outdoors/marine industry.

PAULA FASANELLO
Human Resources Manager
Paula joined the company in 2022 and comes to us with over 15 years of people operations experience working in both large and small manufacturing and hospitality environments. Paula supports the organization in all things “people” related including talent acquisition, onboarding, benefits, and employee development.

SCARLETT PEPPERMAN, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Scarlett came to Saunders in 2014 as our controller and was recently named our Chief Financial Officer. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in public and private accounting, including cash flow and investment analysis, budgeting, debt financing and tax preparation. In her role as Chief Financial Officer, Scarlett is responsible for directing all financial, administrative and office management functions, including dealership management, information technology, risk management, benefits administration and corporate recordkeeping.

TRENT FLANAGAN
Parts Manager
Trent has been a member of the parts department for more than 20 years. As parts manager, he is responsible for all parts operations including inventory control, sourcing, purchasing and vendor relations.

RANDY MADDOX
General Parts Manager
Randy started in the parts department at Saunders Engine Company in 1980 and has worked in parts ever since. He has extensive knowledge n all aspects of marine parts from diesel engines to vessel systems to bottom paint and assists customers and technicians with selecting and sourcing components.

GREG LINDELL
Warranty, Safety & Facilities Manager
Greg started at Saunders Engine Company in 1984 as an apprentice service technician. In 1995, he moved to the pleasurecraft division in as a senior field service technician, eventually moving to the projects/repower division. In his current role, Greg files all warranty claims with vessel-related manufacturers, organizes company-wide safety programs for all employees and coordinates day-to-day repairs to the Gulf Shores facility as necessary.

JIM BRONSTIEN
Chairman of the Board
Jim is a marine industry veteran and former owner and president of Rybovich in West Palm Beach, Fla. In 2008, he joined the board of directors at Saunders and became the board chairman a year later. Jim is also the president of Marine Business Advisors, a consulting firm that specializes in assisting marine-oriented businesses with organizational, operational and business development issues.

ANDREW SAUNDERS
Chairman Emeritus
Andrew joined his father’s diesel engine service operation, Saunders Engine Company, shortly after he graduated from college and became company president in 1975. He had been involved with the company since its inception in 1959 and has been instrumental in the company’s evolution from a single engine repair facility to two full-service boatyards. Though his official role has changed over the years, he remains on our board of directors and is actively involved in the planning and development of the company’s overall vision.