Precision Boats employee receives prestigious industry award

IDAHO FALLS – After being recognized as technician of the year by the Marine industry, Toby Merritt is feeling shocked.

The 30-year-old Idaho Falls man who works at Precision Boats is the recipient of Indmar Marine Engines’ Outstanding Service Technician award. The American Boat and Yacht Council has also named him the outstanding technician of 2025 for “his exceptional performance, technical expertise and dedication to the marine industry.”

Merritt was notified of the former recognition in February and he tells EastIdahoNews.com he’s still astonished.

“I’m speechless about the whole thing,” Merritt says. “I found out about the one from the ABYC last week and I was like, ‘Are you kidding me right now? Two of them?! I don’t understand how!’”

Merritt says the recognition from the ABYC is a rare opportunity and is a major feather in his cap for his career.

Merritt started working as a service tech at Precision Boats in 2015. It was a career path he was introduced to while pursuing a career as an automotive tech at what was then Eastern Idaho Technical College.

He soon discovered he was more interested in automotive work as a hobby.

“I really didn’t want my hobby to be my full-time job,” Merritt explains. “When I started part-time (at Precision Boats) doing assembly and detailing, something drew me in. It’s still all the same engine functions as a car. It was interesting to me how they worked.”

Merritt says customer satisfaction is much greater in a boat repair shop than in the auto industry and that’s the aspect of this career he finds most rewarding.

“People are more thankful because the season is so short,” he says. “People are spending a lot of money on these boats and a lot of them only get to use their boats a few times a year.”

Merritt is pleased to have a major award under his belt after only a decade working in the industry.

He’s excited to move forward in a field that changes dramatically every year.

“I’m trying to keep up on my certifications, training and being the best I can be,” says Merritt.

In a news release from Indmar last week, company president Tim Maher praises Merritt for setting a standard of “what it means to be an elite service technician.”

“Toby exemplifies everything we value at Indmar — commitment to excellence, a passion for learning and an unwavering focus on customer service,” Maher says “Toby’s recognition by ABYC is a proud moment for all of us at Indmar and a reflection of the high standards we strive for throughout our dealer network.”