IN MEMORIAM

April 15^th, I got a telephone call from Baltic Yachts with a very chocking and sad message. Our long-term colleague, company partner and friend, Christer Lill had passed away.

Christer joined us in the 1980: s taking on the position as Production Manager. He also became one of the partners in our new company set up from 1990 and forward.

As a production manager he automatically received an important position in our company’s management team. He held those positions until his retirement 2010.

From 1990 to 2010, Christer lead our boatbuilding team through many very challenging projects. This was the time when we, dramatically, moved up in yacht sizes and substantially raised the technical level of our products. Christer organized, motivated and lead our boatbuilder team through some of the most challenging projects in the yachting industry.

Christer was a very positive person and, with his positivity and enthusiasm, had the capability to motivate people and get the whole team to work towards the same goal. I remember one conversation we had with Christer, facing a very challenging project.  Christer’s opinion was we can make this work; we have the best boatbuilding team in the world capable of executing miracles. His motto was: “Nothing is impossible, but the impossible might take a little bit longer”.

Christer’s methods of educating new inexperienced boatbuilders was that he gave them responsibilities and challenges that, in their own mind, was outside of their capability. He convinced people that they could execute more difficult tasks than they themselves believed. Christer challenged people to take on difficult tasks and, in that way, boosted their self-confidence making them into better boatbuilders.

One of Christer’s qualities that stood out, compared to most others, was his ability to have a lot of activities going on at the same time. From a variety of projects in production to service of buildings, arrangements of heavy lifting and transport, HR management etc. etc all under full control. He was a man with many talents.

Much of the enthusiasm and positive attitudes that can be seen in today’s Baltic Yachts is a heritage from Christer.

Christer’s death came as a shock to all of us and the loss is immeasurable. But deep in our hearths we will always carry valuable, positive memories of an appreciated colleague and friend.

Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family.