Widely respected in high-performance marine industry circles, Florida’s Mindi Doller has joined Cigarette Racing Team to develop an in-house, full-service center for the Opa-locka, Fla.-headquartered company. The new operation/entity will be dubbed “Cigarette Racing Parts and Services.” Doller said she expects it to be operational in early 2022.

In joining Cigarette Racing Team, marine industry veteran Mindi Doller is realizing a long-held goal.

“Our state-of-the-art facility will be at the factory for now,” she said. “We will provide service and factory-authorized refits of all Cigarette models—with a Mercury dealership also in the works. We’ll be sourcing, or even manufacturing parts, for previous Cigarette models to better serve our customers. And once we are a Mercury dealer, we will be servicing all Mercury product regardless of boat brands.

“We will offer restoration to original condition or updates to the more modern look of today,” she continued. “Electronics, upholstery, mechanical—whatever is needed. We also will offer dockside service for our customers and may add a waterfront location in the future.”

In May, Cigarette Racing Team was sold to entrepreneur John Ruiz and Ophir Sternberg of Miami-based Lionheart Capital. Doller has known Ruiz, a longtime brand devotee who has owned a slew of Cigarette models, as a client and friend for 20-plus years.

“I am excited and humbled to be involved in the growth of this company, as my first ever performance boat ride was in a Cigarette many years ago,” she said. “I was hooked, and it has always been a goal of mine to work for the company.

“The most important vision of the owners is providing customer service for all Cigarette models, past and present,” she continued. “We want those owners to know they can contact us with any questions or requests.”

Said Ruiz, “Mindi is a class act. I have been purchasing and retrofitting boats through her for the past 22 years. She is as good as they come and it is an honor to have her onboard.”

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