In lieu of its 45
th anniversary this spring, Design Concepts/Marine Concepts (DCMC, Sarasota, Fla., U.S) relates the company’s history and how it has become the company it is today.
In 1976 under the leadership of Augusto “Kiko” Villalon, Marine Concepts was founded. Kiko realized that there was not a single design and development company in the U.S. that could take a project from A-Z. To remedy this, Villalon reportedly gathered specialists in every area of design, plug building and mold building. The company’s first project was for Paul Kuck at Regal Boats (Orlando, Fla., U.S.), followed by Chaparral Boats (Nashville, Ga., U.S.) and Cobia Boats (Fort Pierce, Fla., U.S.). Soon, the company says, Marine Concepts’ reputation surpassed the boating industry; it eventually became famous for making more than 85 Twistee Treat 22 ice cream cone-shaped buildings. For someone who was allowed only $5 when he fled Cuba, says the company, Kiko Villalon became one of the most well-kn