Today on Small Towns Unscripted, Nicole and I sit down with someone who brings an incredible amount of optimism, energy, and entrepreneurial spirit to the Lake Chelan Valley, David Donovick.

David is the owner of TLC Marine, a business he purchased from longtime owners Tony and Liz Hawkins and that will celebrate 30 years in business next year.

But what makes David’s story so interesting is that he isn't content to simply own a successful business. He continues to look for ways to grow it, diversify it, create year round work for his team, and invest back into this community.

TLC Marine in Manson has expanded well beyond traditional marine services into equipment and powersports, tractors, forklifts and diesel work. David has added construction services, is expanding into boat building right here in Chelan, and recently purchased Glacier West, giving TLC a full service boat yard in the downtown Chelan area.

And behind all of that growth is something I really respect about David: his commitment to his people. He works hard to provide year round employment, competitive wages, full medical and dental benefits, and stability for the families who depend on those jobs.

But David's path to Chelan wasn't exactly a straight one.

His dad was a commercial fisherman, and David experienced at a young age what it meant to have a father gone for long stretches of time working. Tragically, his dad passed away at sea at only 54 years old. That experience helped send David in a very different direction professionally.

He spent roughly 20 years in the technology world, launched startup companies and built a successful career in Seattle. But through all of it, his heart kept pulling him back to Lake Chelan.

His first place here was about as simple as it gets. Emerson Acres, with one solar panel, two car batteries, a wood stove, water pumped from the lake and an old school generator.

And he loved it.

For years, David commuted back and forth to Seattle because he knew this was ultimately where he wanted to build his life. Once he finally made Chelan home, he worked diligently to find a way to become a small business owner here, raise his family here and contribute to the community he had fallen in love with.

Today, we're going to talk about that journey, the growth of TLC Marine, bringing boat building back to a community with a rich marine history, creating good year round jobs, and what David believes Chelan needs as it continues to grow.

And with 20 years in technology, we're also going to get his perspective on something that's changing incredibly fast, artificial intelligence. What does AI mean for businesses and jobs? How insulated is a community like Chelan? And in an increasingly technology driven world, why might genuine person to person relationships become more important, not less?

David says he feels like the luckiest man in the world to be raising his family here.

I think by the end of this conversation, you'll understand why we're pretty lucky to have him here too.

David Donovick, welcome to Small Towns Unscripted.