May 2013 Newsletter

Gary Smith, CPYB, Senior Partner

{certified professional yacht broker} is a lifetime boater, scuba diver and one of two aircraft pilots within the company. He grew up on the Louisiana waterways where fishing and living on a water ski is a way of life. Gary is an active alumnus of LSU in Baton Rouge. With his family as crew he cruised the Bahamas, the Eastern Caribbean and headed as far south as South America, spending a year cruising aboard the 62' Motor Yacht, Lady Alistina. This cruising experience combined with ownership of his other boats allowed Gary to obtain an extensive knowledge of all aspects of yacht ownership, excelling in full-time cruising and living aboard larger yachts. He has traveled as far as the country of Turkey for a survey and sea trial, proving that he will go to the ends of the earth to find the best yacht for his clients. "I'm looking for lifelong clients, so satisfaction is my only concern. Whether it is your first yacht or tenth, I will work as hard as humanly possible to ensure that your yacht purchase goes as smoothly as possible before, during, and after the sale." Gary was one of first in the state to obtain his Certified Professional Yacht Broker designation. Most recently Gary is serving his second two-year term on the Board of Directors of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association (FYBA), located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He also is the Vice-President and chair of several committees within the organization. In addition, he served on the Certification Advisory Council in the Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) Program.

Testimonials:

"Dear Gary I must compliment you, this is by far the most professional interaction I have had with the Boating Industry . You are a consummate professional, thank you for the most informative briefing." - Dirk Ackerman

"The trip went extremely well with out any problems. We made it in only seven days which is a record for me and one of the shortest transit times I've heard off. The boat handles well in rough water and we were able to surf down some seas that were following. The 58 classic draws a crowd at every marina and is not a boat for people that do not want any attention. THE WOODWORK is absolutely incredible and everyone is stunned when they see the interior. Its already the Queen of Marina Bay Boston and a lot of boats are not in the water yet. The best way to describe the yacht is that.....SHE WAS BUILT WITHOUT COMPROMISE." - Bob Mondello, purchaser of a 2010 58' Vicem Classic

Jason Mashke, CPYB, Managing Director

{certified professional yacht broker} Jason is native to Sarasota and grew up enjoying the beautiful waters of Florida. Jason is a life-long boater, following in the footsteps of his father Doug, founder of Sarasota Yacht & Ship. As an avid fisherman, spear-fisherman, and diver, Jason has an intimate knowledge of the waters surrounding Sarasota and beyond. Jason's travels have taken him abroad where he has cruised extensively throughout Florida, the Keys, Dry Tortugas, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, USVI's, BVI's, St. Lucia and Costa Rica. Jason's studies took him out of state where he earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Biology and Ecology. Jason began his career as a consultant at one of the world's largest engineering firms where he honed his skills in project management, marketing, research, analysis, and public relations. Jason returned to Sarasota early in 2004 where he joined his father in operating Sarasota Yacht & Ship. Jason's consulting experience helped cement his dedication to client satisfaction, which has been vital to his success and the success of Sarasota Yacht & Ship. Jason has been a consistent topproducer since joining the team and attributes his success to his constant research of market data and product knowledge. Jason enjoys the challenges of brokerage in difficult markets and is confident in his ability to satisfy his clients in the purchase and sale of their first or fifteenth yacht. Jason prides himself in his ability to negotiate through the ever-growing masses of market data to provide his clients with the best information to base their purchasing and selling decisions. Jason is a life-long learner and continually attends professional meetings and seminars to further his product knowledge, keep up to date with the latest laws and regulations, and to develop ways to continually improve the yachting industry. Jason is one of the founding members of the Sarasota Waterfront Alliance, which was organized in order to support strategies that help maintain the boating way of life that brought so many to the beautiful waters of Sarasota. As a member of the Florida Yacht Broker's Association (FYBA), Yacht Broker's Association of America (YBAA), and one of few Certified Professional Yacht Broker's (CPYB), Jason is continually seeking knowledge in order to better serve the clients of Sarasota Yacht & Ship. As with the rest of the SYS team, Jason is committed to doing whatever it takes to satisfy the needs of clients. "Please call on me day or night for any of your boating needs."

Testimonials:

"Thank you so much for all your help and the courtesies that you extended to Kenny and me. I know selling "Gotta Life" was a challenge but you were always positive and very professional. We have enjoyed working with you and hope to continue the friendship." - Shea Bockrath

Doug Mashke, CPYB, Board Member

{certified professional yacht broker} has been in Sarasota since 1955. Doug founded SYSS in 1986 and has owned and operated the 200-slip, Harbor Marina, selling new and used boats, with one of the largest service yards in the area. The marina serviced all brands and was the largest Californian dealer in the country for 4 years. Doug credits his brokerage success to the lessons learned while at the Marina. Doug has a passion for boating and is very energetic about representing his clients. "At our downtown and marina locations in Sarasota, we start with knowledge and dedication; we proceed from the first phone call to the closing with the aim of making boat-buying a pleasurable experience. Our referrals make us the most recommended Brokerage firm in the area."

Testimonials:

"We wish all brokers took the time you did to talk to us to find out just what we wanted in a boat and then took the time and effort to find it. Your guidance, expert knowledge of boats, and exceptional negotiating skills throughout the process were essential to making everything work as well as it did. We encourage all other customers to listen closely to your sound advice and expertise in boats. After a lifetime of boating, it was hard to believe that you could find us a boat that had everything we wanted and more, and at a price we were happy with. You are a true professional. Not only did you work hard to get us what we wanted, but you also made very sure that we knew exactly what we got. You can be sure that if anyone we know is in the market for a boat, we will definitely send them to you. Again, thanks so much" - Dale and Terry Morrison, purchasers of a 45' Tollycraft "Miss T"

Alison Smith, Business Manager

is an International Baccalaureate Graduate and attended State College of Florida and the University of Florida. She's a proud new mom of Aiden Patrick and will be very happy to share her pictures! Like all of our staff, she is a very experienced boater, too. Along with her father, she obtained hands-on extensive cruising experience in the Caribbean and Bahamas and this knowledge allows her to better serve our clients. Alison is a support member of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association and has become an integral part of the SYSS team! Call Alison if you have any questions concerning a closing, listing, or any of our company policies at 941.365.9095.

Lee Messina, CPYB, Yacht Broker Associate

{certified professional yacht broker} is a sailing yacht specialist who has over 30 years of experience racing and cruising in New England, the Caribbean, South Florida, and the Bahamas. He grew up in New London, CT on Long Island Sound where he raced and cruised his sailboats and fished offshore for swordfish and giant tuna in the North Atlantic on his family's sportfishing yachts. In addition to his knowledge of recreational yachts, Lee has established formal International Brokerage Alliance Agreements with several yacht and commercial ship brokerage and shipbuilding firms with offices in Europe, the Med and Asia. Lee is our cruise ship specialist and provides his commercial investment clients with opportunities and guidance evaluating and purchasing large commercial passenger vessels, including cruise ships and yachts suitable for charter operations. Also, Lee is a vacation yacht charter broker for our sister-company, GetAway Charter; arranging charters for clients on crewed yachts worldwide and helping charter yacht owners establish their businesses. In his hometown, Lee was the Commodore of the Thames Yacht Club, one of the oldest yacht clubs in New England, and a contributor to the national Safety-at-Sea seminars. With a BA in English from Assumption College in Worcester, MA, Lee has enjoyed a successful career as an educator, and as a marketing executive for several advertising agencies and Arthur Andersen's corporate tax software division. "Whether you need my help to sell or buy a yacht or commercial ship, you can be assured you'll get outstanding service and straight talk through every step of the process. I'll help you meet your objectives, always ensuring you make a sound financial investment. I'm particularly proud that I earned the trust and confidence of five different clients who I've never met face-to-face and who each purchased a yacht from me without a personal inspection. In each case, I coordinated the shipping of these yachts to the satisfied Buyers at out-of-state destinations."

Testimonials:

"When we found a boat we were interested in we contacted the seller who was Lee Messina from Sarasota Yacht. Lee can sell any boat that is on the yachtworld website. He is awesome – cares about his customers! He found us a great boat for a great price." - Rick and Brenda Bensonpurchasers of a 2006 34' Rinker Fiesta Vee

"Lee and staff: We wish to formally thank you and your staff for all the long, enduring, professional services you have rendered us and Sunlight. We do not think we could have found a better person and staff to handle this sale. I truly feel we have found a friend in you as you have done for us as only a friend would do. It wasn't just about the money for you. You handle life as it is dealt to you and never gave up. As a cop on the street for 23 yrs, I know how a partner who never gives up is valued - you qualify. You'll always be in our hearts. Please drop by if ever in Calif. as we would be pleased to show you around. May God bless you always" - Bob & Judy Young,sellers of a 1987 42' Grand Banks "Sunlight"

Alex Rowe, Board Member

{certified professional yacht broker} Alex began his sales career in 1999 with the largest Sea Ray dealer in the US. With over twelve years of experience, Alex is very knowledgeable of Sea Rays and their competing brands. Now with over two years of Brokerage experience, his knowledge of other boat lines is quickly on the rise. Alex absolutely loves his career choice and it shows in everything that he does. His Enthusiasm, Trustworthiness, Marketing Techniques, & Hard work will have your yacht sold in the shortest possible time.

Testimonials:

"I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the professional manner you exhibited in handling the sale of my 2006 Sea Ray. You consistently demonstrated a high commitment to communication and follow-up and provided me with valuable insight into the challenges of selling my boat in a difficult economic environment. I have no doubt your persistent and tenacious approach will serve future prospective ship buyers and sellers well." - Michael E. Remsberg purchaser of a 2006 Sea Ray

"Alex was absolutely fantastic! He not only spent a lot of time during our decision making process, ensuring that we understood everything about our prospective boat, but was invaluable in assisting us in locating and securing all of the services necessary, including boat survey, boat transport, maintenance services, temporary dockage and haul out services. His knowledge and experience in the field, especially as it concerns Sea Ray products is outstanding and his customer rapport is as good as I have ever experienced. He truly went above and beyond in making sure everything was handled in an efficient manner and that we were completely at ease with everything." - Patrick Speer purchaser a 2006 Sea Ray

Chuck Royhl, CPYB, Yacht Broker Associate

{certified professional yacht broker} has been with Sarasota Yacht & Ship Services for over 18 years. Born in Chicago, he moved to Florida at the age of 18, and moved aboard the first of many boats at 19. Professional Yacht brokerage was a natural progression, but also a planned one, as Chuck had always known the water was his passion. A licensed captain since 1980, Chuck now holds a 100-ton Master's License. He has first-hand knowledge and experience with a wide variety of vessels - having been involved in virtually every aspect of boats, from building and commercial fishing to private yachts - enabling him to find the right boat for his clients.

Testimonials:

"You have my appreciation and thanks for the manner in which you and Sarasota Yacht & Ship Services, Inc. handled our acquisition of the Ensign D III. From the first call I made to you in April 2008 regarding the vessel, and continuing through to the closing in September 2008 you helped facilitate the transaction in the highest professional manner. Additionally, throughout the eight months of renovation you contractor recommendations and other assistance were of great help" - Austin D. Shaw

"We are writing this letter to acknowledge the outstanding performance of one of your salespersons, Captain Charles M. Royhl. Chuck's dedication to service, and keeping of promises goes above and beyond any assistance we could possibly have expected. My husband and I had been boaters in the past, yet my husband Stan had never operated a vessel as large as the 43' Hatteras we recently purchased, from Chuck. Chuck's patience and dedication to providing Stan with all possible information, from recommendations for surveyors, mechanics, rules of the waterways, operation of the vessel, is more than we could have expected. I am in sales myself and pride myself on customer service, yet was more than pleased to see that there was someone else, such a Chuck, who kept every pledge he made." - The Stan and Angela Cegar,purchasers of 43' Hatteras

Craig Crossley, Yacht Sales Associate

licensed yacht salesman. A senior executive leading businesses around the world within a variety of multinational and family owned industrial and consulting companies, Craig now directs his passions towards the marine world. Creating and developing Rhode Island and Florida based CrossCurrent Marine, which has formed a marketing alliance with Sarasota Yacht and Ship Services, his businesses are dedicated to providing a select group of individuals with high-performance, well designed luxury yachts that truly stand out from the crowd. Associating with world-class brands like J/Boats and Maxi Dolphin, he has the knowledge and experience to help you make the right choice with your next new or previously owned yacht.

John Daigle, Yacht Sales Associate

Yacht Sales Associate. John's interest in boating began many years ago as a member of the Sea Scouts in Connecticut, where he learned to sail and cruise the waters of Long Island Sound. Since then he has owned sail and power boats and has cruised from New England to Florida and the US & British Virgin Islands. He is also particularly knowledgeable about cruising on the west coast of Florida. As a degreed Engineer, John spent 25 years in technical sales of complex manufacturing systems, learning how to provide specific solutions for precise customer needs and then using his management skills to achieve a timely, successful project implementation. Wanting to increase his involvement in his boating passion, he very successfully transitioned into boat sales in 2002. His customers like his patient demeanor and attention to detail, and appreciate his extensive knowledge of sailboats, trawlers, powerboats and boat design fundamentals. He is never too busy to help friends, family or someone you know with their boating needs. John is also a pilot who flies his own plane, which allows him to cover a larger area in search of the perfect boat for his clients.

Roy Kaplan, Yacht Sales Associate

licensed yacht salesman. is a transplanted Californian. He moved to the East Coast of Florida 8 years ago to pursue his love of boating. He had experienced the Florida waters and those of the Bahamas, Exumas, Abacos on someone else's boat and wanted to do it on his own boat. Having accomplished that goal, he moved to Sarasota to experience boating on the Gulf Coast, "The Nice Coast". At the time he moved to the East Coast, he was running a national sales force for a consumer products company involved in selling fans, heaters and small appliances, a position similar to which he held with a variety of companies in the consumer products field…i.e. health and beauty aides, housewares, cosmetics. He was responsible for national sales in each of these companies. Since he has moved to Sarasota he is anxious to share his experiences in boating with other boaters…present and future. Hence, his new association with Sarasota Yacht and Ship, where he hopes to acquaint old and new boaters with a positive boating experience…finding the right boat for them…or helping them to sell their existing boat for a different experience. He is living a dream; which is to work in an industry which has enabled him to meet people with whom he has common interests.

"Skip" Mansfield, Yacht Sales Associate

licensed yacht salesman and charter broker is a veteran in the yacht brokerage business. He lives in Punta Gorda and is an Isles Yacht Club member and will concentrate his efforts in that area. After graduating from Princeton he worked and later managed Alta Ski Lodge in Utah and managed Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Truckee, California. Missing the boating world, Skip took an apprentice job at Mt. Desert Yacht Yard in Maine. Later he moved to customer relations at Wm Edgar John Yacht Yard in New York. He has worked as a yacht and commercial surveyor and later a claims desk manager for a major insurer. In 1952, he became a broker for Northrop and Johnson out of their Manhattan office and was instrumental in opening offices around the country, most of which still exist today. Skip was hired by Dick Bertram to manage all of his operations in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. A few years later, he returned to Northrop and Johnson and was then hired to establish Emerald Yacht and Ship which he ran along with other corporate duties for 21 years.

Brad McClelland, Yacht Sales Associate

licensed yacht salesman has been working in the yacht sales and service industry for over thirty years. A native of Virginia, Brad's career started with a three year boatbuilding apprenticeship building wooden Downeast style lobster boats, Chesapeake Bay Deadrise work boats and the traditional Skipjack oyster dredging sailboats. The apprenticeship was with a third generation boat building family which provided a solid foundation for his career and love for the Downeast style of pleasure boats. This appreciation stayed with Brad even after his boat building days were up. Brad then moved on into the service end of the yacht industry as a finish carpenter and rigger in Hampton, VA. with a local sailboat dealer that sold Cal, O'Day and Pearson sailboats. His responsibilities were new boat commissioning and service related repairs. After a couple of years Brad took a service manager position with the renowned Zimmerman Marine in Cardinal, VA, another quality Downeast boat builder and service yard founded by Steve Zimmerman. After 10 years of service with Zimmerman Marine, Brad moved to Sarasota, Florida and was offered a sailboat dealership with Sabre Yachts, one of the finest New England boat builders known for their Downeast tradition, reputation of quality and craftsmanship. To enhance his sales experience, Brad took a sales position in Jupiter, Florida with Jupiter Yacht Sales where he furthered his knowledge of the Downeast style boats, selling New Sabre and Back Cove power boats. He now takes this experience to SYSS.

Testimonials:

"You are a breath of fresh-air to do business with and I wish you the very best luck selling boats in the future...hopefully I can return the hard work someday.." - Paul Chasse, broker from Sailboats NE involving the sale of a 45' Cabo Rico.

Steve Stevens, CPYB, Yacht Sales Associate

licensed yacht salesman has had a long history in boating. Born in Boston, Steve was introduced into boating at age 2 by his parents who boated up and down the New England Coast. They owned upwards of a dozen boats from Sailboats to Trawlers. After many years, Steve moved to New Jersey where he enjoyed boating on the Hudson River, Long Island Sound, and the Connecticut Shoreline. After graduating from Rider University with B.A. degrees in both Speech Journalism and Communications, Steve entered into the Insurance Business as a Special Agent with Northwestern Mutual and Equitable Life Of New York where he spent 21 years in Insurance and Financial Planning. After living outside of Philadelphia for over 25 years, Steve was seeking a better boating environment. His true love for boating and cruising the waterways led him, his spouse Dorothy, and their youngest son Andrew to Sarasota, Florida where he began an 11 year career in Boat sales. Steve worked with one of the largest Sea Ray and Boston Whaler dealers in the country. His long term desire to assist his Customers in larger yachts brought him to Sarasota Yacht & Ship in Sarasota, Florida. His passion for boating and providing exceptional service and attention to his customers is his main focus. He is never too busy to help guide a current and future boater to satisfy all of their boating desires. Having owned a number of personal boats himself, he is familiar with all types of watercraft. When Steve is not boating, he can be found enjoying the Florida lifestyle in and around Sarasota, Florida.

Christina Smith,

Marketing Director, holds a Masters Degree from the University of Florida at Gainesville. In addition to her international marketing experience, she is a very experienced boater, living aboard during her childhood and experiencing all there is to love in boating. Christina handles all aspects of the marketing of our services as well as branding for the company, both in the states and internationally. She is a support member of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association and is an integral part of the SYS team! Christina is always on the lookout for fresh, interesting stories for our newsletter, facebook and other social media sites. She invites anyone who has a great boating story and would like to be featured on any of our online media outlets to contact her.

Karen Canfield,

Office Manager, Karen comes from a Real Estate background combined with IT Management experience and is continuously looking for ways to make things run more efficiently in the office. She has lived in Sarasota for over 6 years now after moving from the Northeast, and loves the warm temperatures and coastal lifestyle. Karen enjoys outdoor activities such as cycling, kayaking, fishing, walking the beautiful Ringling Bridge and of course boating!

Jackie Millikin, Yacht Sales Associates

Lynn and Jackie Millikin are avid boaters and both are 100 Ton Master Captains with Towing Certification.They have worked in the boating industry since 2003 as Brokers, Delivery Captains, Boating Instructors and Boat Show Manufacturing Reps. They have owned many different types and sizes of boats/yachts and cruised from the Northern Chesapeake to St. Petersburg. They love to share their passion for boating with both new and experienced boaters. They strive to help them sell their boat or find the "right boat" and then help them feel comfortable in operating it. They are excited about being part of the Sarasota Yacht and Ship Team.

Lynn Millikin, Yacht Sales Associates

Lynn and Jackie Millikin are avid boaters and both are 100 Ton Master Captains with Towing Certification.They have worked in the boating industry since 2003 as Brokers, Delivery Captains, Boating Instructors and Boat Show Manufacturing Reps. They have owned many different types and sizes of boats/yachts and cruised from the Northern Chesapeake to St. Petersburg. They love to share their passion for boating with both new and experienced boaters. They strive to help them sell their boat or find the "right boat" and then help them feel comfortable in operating it. They are excited about being part of the Sarasota Yacht and Ship Team.