Nichols Marine is excited to officially welcome Kevin McClure to the Nichols Marine team. With decades of experience in the boating industry and deep roots in the Grand Lake community, Kevin brings a wealth of knowledge, relationships, and passion for helping families enjoy life on the water.

Kevin’s connection to Grand Lake started early. His family moved to the area from Ohio in 1977, and he grew up attending school at Cleora before graduating from Ketchum High School in 1987. He later continued his education at NEO in Miami, Oklahoma, where he graduated in 1991.

For Kevin, the boating industry has been part of his life since childhood. He started working at just 11 years old at Slim’s Resort in 1980, fueling boats on the weekends and mowing lawns during the week. From there, he continued working around the lake at Hammerhead Marina during his high school years. It was there that he began gaining early experience in boat sales and delivery while helping Bill Webb with Webbcraft Boats.

At 21, Kevin had the opportunity to work for Denny Cresap and the Budweiser distributor out of Vinita, Oklahoma. During that time, he spent summers driving the Budweiser boat on weekends and delivering beer to marinas during the week. Even while working outside of boat sales, Kevin never lost his connection to the water or the lake community.

In January of 1995, Kevin made the decision to return to what he calls his “first love” — the boat business. He began selling Regal Boats for C.L. Kennard at Shangri-La Marina, and from that point forward, he knew he had found his passion.

“I looked forward to coming to work every day,” Kevin said.

Over the years, Kevin has worked with several dealerships and experienced the many ups and downs of the marine industry. Through it all, the boating business provided him the opportunity to raise his family, build lifelong relationships, and make a career out of something he truly enjoyed.

For the last 20 years, Kevin was associated with Hi-Lift Marina and Grand Lake Boat Sales. During his time there, he became a partner in the business and represented several well-known boat manufacturers, including Rinker, Tige, JC Pontoons, Crownline, and Formula. After the dealership and marina were sold last summer, Kevin began looking toward the next chapter of his career.

Kevin and Gary Nichols have known each other for years through their work with the Oklahoma Boat Dealers Association. Over time, conversations began about the possibility of Kevin joining the Nichols Marine team. This spring, that opportunity became a reality.

Nichols Marine is proud to have Kevin bring his experience and customer-focused approach to the team. He is excited to work alongside Steve Ridenour, Monty Langley, and the entire Nichols Marine crew as he begins this new chapter.

Kevin’s long history on Grand Lake, his decades of industry experience, and his passion for boating make him a great fit for Nichols Marine. More importantly, his commitment to taking care of customers aligns perfectly with the values Nichols Marine has built its reputation on for more than 50 years.

Please join us in welcoming Kevin McClure to Nichols Marine. We’re excited to have him on board and look forward to the impact he will make for our customers, team, and Grand Lake boating community.