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LOVELAND - Roger Pilant knows boats.
As a manufacturer's representative for the well-known Larson and Glastron brands, Pilant helps more than 50 dealers across 14 Western states stay afloat.
Pilant founded Anchor Distributing 17 years ago and has 26 years of experience in the business.
"When I first got started I didn't have the opportunity to represent a great manufacturer," he said. But with continuous aggressive marketing and a slick sales staff, he worked his way into what he calls "the right market areas with the right dealers.
Glastron and Larson are just two of the boat brands owned by Genmar, the world's largest recreational boat builder with 17 brand names.
Pilant got into the Glastron and Larson lines more than a decade ago when the Western territory was a $3 million market.
"We're forecasting $36 million for the 2003 model year," he said.
Anchor Distributing started in Denver, but two years ago, Pilant moved the business to the Fort Collins/Loveland airport. He recently purchased two acres with taxi access for a 7,200square-foot headquarters, replete with office and warehouse space, and a hangar for the company plane. Manufacturers' representatives travel a lot. With boat shows to attend, sales seminars to conduct and dealers spread across the country, Pilant prefers to pilot his own plane. "There's no property at Jeffco Airport, and that's a big...