THOMAS FEXAS passed away on November 29, 2006 in Stuart, FL. His death was confirmed by his niece Elisa Casas. The cause was not yet known; he had been hospitalized with an unidentified illness.
Tom was born in Queens. He attended the State University of New York Maritime College and earned a bachelors degree in marine engineering. He later graduated from the Westlawn Institute of Yacht Design and, from 1965 through 1977, worked for the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics as a nuclear project engineer for Trident Class submarines.
Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Mr. Fexas introduced light-weight fiberglass construction to the recreational motorboat industry. He is said to have calculated every construction plan down to the nuts and bolts so the boat would rest properly in the water.
Through the marine industrys tough financial times during the 1990s, Mr. Fexas was one of the few businessmen who refused to lay off any of his employees.
Tom is survived by his wife, Regina Fexas; his mother, Antonia Fexas; and his sister, Penelope Casas, a leading authority on Spanish cooking.
FMSAA