Engineers from NASA and Boeing as well as former US Naval architects and professional powerboat builders collaborated on designing the Phenomenon. Restaurateur Al Copeland Sr., the founder of Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits restaurant and a driver of the Popeyes Offshore race team, developed the prototype of Phenomenon. Unfortunately, Mr. Copeland succumbed to cancer and died before seeing his dream come to fruition. Al Copeland Jr. is finishing the job his father began.