The OBR Story

Early Life

Steve Chambless’s story begins in South Alabama in 1954. Since childhood, Steve has been frequently characterized as someone with remarkable persistence and committed ambition. Born and raised in Mobile, he has continually left a lasting impact on his community.

True to his entrepreneurial spirit that still shines today, Steve began his first job at just twelve years old. He started throwing newspapers, and soon after began working on the weekends for a veterinary clinic.

Steve also worked for a Honda motorcycle dealer through high school. He made about $30 a day building fresh-out-of-the-box motorcycles, giving him an early understanding of vehicular mechanics.

The Beginning of OBR Parts and Marine

Before his ultimate introduction to marine parts, Steve owned a hair salon named Cutter’s Corner. Though his salon was successful, he found himself craving something more aligned with his interests. Steve adored water skiing on Dog River in his 20s, and when his ski boat broke down, he noticed a glaring lack of affordable marine replacement parts. After remanufacturing his own motor for a fraction of what it would have cost new, he took the revolutionary process to his company, OBR Parts and Marine.

In the early 80s, the luxury of contact lists neatly stored on the internet didn’t exist. Instead, Chambless spent months going to libraries in Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, searching the Yellow Pages for marine dealers to contact. Once he completed the headache-inducing process, he created a 4-page brochure that was mailed out to over 500 marine dealers across the Southeast.

He discovered he wasn’t the only one dissatisfied with the lack of accessible marine replacement parts. Steve was pleasantly surprised by the opportunity he found in selling new and remanufactured parts to dealers nationwide.

Innovation in the Marine Industry

Almost immediately after entering the industry, Steve saw a gap in the market that had not yet been filled. Cross-selling. Any dealer cringes at the thought of missing out on business simply because they don’t sell a specific name-brand. Yet, it happened more frequently than anyone liked to admit. Once Steve had an established customer base, he began purchasing salvaged name-brand parts from the same people he sold to. Through this, he was able to help Yamaha dealers sell Mercury and vice versa, giving dealers an avenue to provide service to more boat owners and increase their revenue.

In 1986, determined to help as many people as possible, Steve reached out to Rottler Manufacturing to purchase a boring machine. After describing what he intended to use the machine for, Rottler was taken aback. They informed him that they didn’t make marine-compatible machines and that Steve’s plan was just not possible. He humbly explained that he had built his own custom plate that specifically fit the OE specs of marine short blocks; all he needed was the machine to make the process more efficient. Stunned and clearly impressed, Rottler asked Steve to replicate his plate model so they could effectively service the marine industry. He obliged, and his legacy will continue to live on as his original design inspired most of the plates you see on marine geared boring machines today.

Unparalleled Dedication

Steve’s dedication to OBR, its people, and the customers he helped was demonstrated by the time he spent each day engrossed in his work. He recalls that in the beginning of OBR’s life, he would often work a typical 8-hour day, go home for dinner until 6 pm, and then return to the office until 11 pm. He followed this routine seven days a week, making a typical workweek 90 hours or more.

Family and Legacy

By the mid-90’s, Steve had married his wife, Karen. From there, their little family became official: Steve, Karen, and their daughter Lydia. He recalls that before he met his wife, he was concerned that marriage might hold him back from his endeavors; however, when Steve met Karen, he knew she had been intentionally placed in his life by God.

Following 18 years spent together, frequently on the water, their daughter, Lydia, left for college in 2001. It didn’t take long before she brought home a boy named Wyatt Johnson. Wyatt and Lydia’s connection was immediate, and they were married within five years. Lucky for Steve, his new son-in-law had a preexisting love for boats that stemmed from his youth, and when the offer came, Wyatt enthusiastically agreed to begin working at OBR Parts and Marine.

“I thought I knew a lot about boats. Until I got here,” Wyatt laughed.

He recalls the effort it took him to finally get a handle on the ins and outs of the industry. He spent years working almost every position available to him, and in his spare time, Wyatt shadowed Steve and created build sheets based on his father-in-law’s extensive knowledge of marine parts; his quiet determination to learn any and everything quickly earned him the respect of Steve and the OBR staff.

Wyatt and Lydia have since had two children, Will and Lisee. Unsurprisingly, they quickly became the center of Steve and Karen’s worlds. With Wyatt’s presence allowing Steve to take a step back from OBR, he’s able to spend valuable time with his grandchildren while still keeping a loving eye on the passion project he started back in 1982.

Looking Ahead

Going forward, Wyatt looks forward to expanding OBR’s reach to new manufacturers, adapting to the ever-changing market, and maintaining an environment built on respect and appreciation for customers, staff, and everyone in between.

Steve, Wyatt, and the OBR team have spent years perfecting their product. Now, looking at a finished remanufactured part from OBR, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between it and a brand-new gear case or powerhead.

Family-owned, Family-oriented

Family-owned and operated since the beginning, Steve explains that each employee is an essential part of something bigger. He displays an admirable determination not just to hire people who will benefit him, but to be of benefit to them as well. Each favor, big or small, is his way of showing gratitude to the people who keep OBR running from behind the curtain.

“When you run a small company like this, you can either decide to help your employees, who essentially end up becoming family, or not,” says Steve.

Since its founding over 44 years ago, Steve, Karen, Wyatt, and countless other dedicated employees have worked side by side to give OBR the distinct family-oriented atmosphere that so many have grown to love.

This culture is observable any day of the week at OBR Parts and Marine. The employees, whether they’re in the shop or the office, consistently display a sense of community, loyalty, and camaraderie.

Conclusion

OBR Parts and Marine is a testament to the value of dedication, hard work, perseverance, and the pursuit of continuous improvement. Wyatt and Steve continue to collaborate, ensuring that at its core, OBR stays the same company, maintains the same standards, and adapts to serve more people each day.