I spent my college years managing the marina at Coral Gables Resort in Saugatuck, Michigan. While working on the docks, I discovered that there was a niche market for capable boat handlers. So, armed with a 100-ton captains license and a flexible schedule, I became a delivery captain which provided extra spending money to make it through the school year. After graduating from college and working as an investment banker in Louisville, Kentucky, I did not feel I belonged in a corporate environment. I therefore returned to the water - this time in Norfolk, Virginia as a Sea-Tow captain. I wanted to work on a boat that had a "function". After spending time in Norfolk, a full time captain job was offered to me in Holland, Michigan bringing me back to the Great Lakes where I ran a 74' Hatteras (among other boats), and spent my time between the Great Lakes, Florida and the East Coast.
I have been in and around boats for most of my life. I began my career in yachting as a young adult, working for a full-service marina in Macatawa, MI starting in 1999. After a few winters of painting bottoms and waxing hull sides, I decided to migrate south during the winter periods to further my career in Florida and the Caribbean. I held a professional crew position aboard a 114' motor yacht, cruising to several ports in the West Indies. The following winter season I began my 100-ton Captain's License studies and worked with mega-yachts (both sail and power) in the port of Ft. Lauderdale.
Returning to Michigan each spring, I learned the ropes of sailboat rigging. My passion for providing outstanding customer service matured during the ten years I served as the parts and service manager at the very place my career began. It is this passion that helped me to decide to enter the next chapter of my professional life; yacht brokerage.
Yacht brokerage is a people business. I do not take lightly, the importance of developing and maintaining strong customer relationships. I look forward to serving those that I have known, as well as those that I will be privileged to meet.
Ever since I was a small child, I have harbored a passion for boating and being on the water. I grew up outside of Kalamazoo, Michigan, near Gull Lake. Whether I was skiing or tubing with my friends, riding jet skis with my sister, or getting up early with my dad and Grandpa to go after some perch or bluegills for dinner that night, I was right where I wanted to be.
After graduating high school, I decided to continue my education at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. This brought me to the shore of Lake Michigan and a whole new type of boating. I loved the idea of being able to hop on a boat and end up in another beautiful harbor or city via water.
During my years studying business management and accounting at Hope College, I started working as a dockhand at a good-sized, full-service marina in Saugatuck, Michigan. As time went on, I held pretty much every position the marina had to offer. I worked in the yard hauling boats, buffing and waxing, painting, varnishing, and rigging sailboats. I spent summers running the gas dock and lining up transient slips for customers, whether local or from out of town. Moving brokerage boats from port to port for my boss was probably my favorite task, as it allowed me to spend time on the water. After graduating from Hope, I worked as Parts Manager and Service Manager for several years before I was asked to move into the General Manager role. Moving up in the ranks at the marina was great, but I found myself increasingly drawn to administrative tasks and staff management, rather than being on the boats and the water.
After nearly two decades at the marina, I started to feel like I needed a change, a move that would get me back to spending more time on the water and boats. My personal life had also changed and demanded more flexibility than my current job had to offer.
This past August, after much consideration, I decided to transition from my position at the marina and into a role as a Broker at Coral Gables Yachts. Looking forward to using my experience, relationships, and knowledge gained from a lifetime of being on and around boats and boaters to provide exceptional service in either facilitating the sale or assisting in the acquisition of your next vessel.
