Max Porter — 30 Under 40 2026
Max Porter has helped Mainely Tubs move a lot of hot tubs.
When he became delivery and logistics manager in 2020, the department had 12 employees and handled about 1,700 deliveries annually. Over the next four years, Porter helped grow the team to 38 employees while annual volume climbed above 3,200 units.
But delivery wasn’t where he started — or where he stopped.
Porter joined Mainely Tubs in 2016 as a delivery crew member while earning his bachelor’s degree in business management. He advanced to crew lead, then delivery and logistics manager before moving into service management in March 2024.
Today, he oversees 44 employees across four states.
That latest assignment came with a different challenge. Porter inherited a service department contending with customer support issues, employee turnover and imbalanced resources. During his first year, the team concentrated on processes, culture and stronger support systems for employees and customers.
“One of my proudest achievements in this industry was helping transform a struggling service department during a time when major change was needed,” Porter says.
His ability to manage growth had already been tested during the pandemic-era sales surge.
“Most days, it felt like us managers were simply holding on for dear life as consumer demand and sales skyrocketed,” Porter says. “Looking back now, those years feel like a blur.”
“Looking back now, those years feel like a blur.”
— MAX PORTER
Porter became a father in 2021, adding sleepless nights at home to an unusually demanding period at work. He credits his family, co-workers and company leadership with helping him navigate it.
Now, he’s preparing for another transition. Porter recently completed Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training and is on track to become Mainely Tubs’ director of operations in January 2027. The company is already hiring and training his service-management replacement to provide a substantial crossover period.
Long term, Porter hopes to become vice president of operations and build what he calls a world-class operations department. He also wants to share successful practices with noncompeting dealers so improvements developed inside Mainely Tubs can benefit retailers elsewhere.
Away from work, Porter spends most of his time with his wife, Rebecca, and daughters, Charlotte and Emelia, often at their dance, gymnastics, soccer and basketball activities. When time allows, he gets out on his mountain bike.
Locations refer to company headquarters; honorees may work remotely or live elsewhere.
