Rob Mazza is a Mechanical Engineer (Queen’s University, Kingston, ON) and Naval Architect (U of M, Ann Arbor, MI) with over forty years in the marine industry. He began his career as a yacht designer in Canada with C&C Yachts for fifteen years and Mark Ellis Design for eight years, and then Hunter Marine in the US for four years. In the late 1990s Rob moved into sales and marketing of structural cores and bonding compounds in the composites industry with ATC Chemicals in Ontario for eight years, followed by Baltek, Inc. in New Jersey for another eight years. Rob returned to Canada in 2011 and is currently semi-retired, acting as Technical Editor for Good Old Boat magazine, and has written articles for Professional Boatbuilder and Wooden Boat magazines. His articles often focus on the history and development of yacht design, especially in Canada. Mazza sat on the Board of Directors of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston for ten years, and is a past Vice Commodore of the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club in his home town of Hamilton, ON. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of RHYC as Chair of the Heritage Committee, and is currently Chair of the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame Management Committee.

Started sailing in Optimist prams at age ten. Cruised and raced in the Tampa Bay area until college at Daytona Beach Community College and then University of North Florida. After university, worked and bought a 26 foot Pearson Ariel named “Primo”. Sailed from Florida in 11997 and cruised the Bahamas, Caribbean and returned to Florida. Bought an Van de Stadt designed Ohlson 32. In 1982, Sailed through the Panama Canal and into the Pacific islands, Central and South American coast. Upon return, became certified as an IMS/IOR Measurer, certifying IMS and IOR race boats for competition. Started a woodworking company that evolved into a sailboat manufacturing business, SR> Sailboats. We developed 21, 27 and 33 foot sportboats designed for racing. In 1992, sold SR> Sailboats to Canadian based C&C Yachts. Henderson Yacht design was then formed and several custom designs were created including a 44' trimaran built by G-Force Catamarans. One of the designs was a custom 35' CSA race boat, “Crash Test Dummies”. The owner lived in Trinidad and Tobago and built the boat there. That led to a partnership in a boat building company, SOCA Sailboats, and was located in Trinidad. The first design was the production boat, the Henderson 30. In 2000, was contacted by Hunter Marine to begin designing for Hunter Marine. In 2008, moved to Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica while continuing Hunter Design work In 2014, started a sailboat charter business in Costa Rica, Joy Ride Sailing. Presently living in ape Coral, Florida and prepping for an extended world cruise and doing yacht design projects.

David brings a unique combination of sailmaking, sailing and teaching experience to the Quantum team. A sailmaker with experience in all aspects of design, he provides a balanced perspective, having worked with North, Horizon and Doyle during his 30 year career. He has been with Quantum since its formation in 1996.

For the last two decades, his principle focus has been offshore One Design. An in-demand speed doctor, David has an exceptional eye for sail shape and a feel for the subtle alterations of trim and tuning that make boats go. He has been instrumental in developing Quantum tuning guides and systems for many of the leading offshore One Design classes, including the One Design 48, Farr 30, J/24, J/30, J/105, Farr 40, One Design 35, and Swan 45. He is currently coordinating Quantum’s efforts in the new C&C 30 One Design class, and has been tasked with coordinating design, engineering, and project management for many of Quantum’s big-boat cruising programs.

Mike Montgomery. Senior Mechanical Technician. Diversified Marine Services/Bay Shore Marine Engines. I am a U.S. Coast Guard Veteran with Four+ decades of experience in marine engine service and repair. Certified on multiple diesel, gas, and outboard marine engines. Performed instructional seminars at Fawcett Boat Supplies with Bay Shore Marine Engines and Diversified Marine Services. I continually strive to educate co-workers and customers on my years of service and experience in the marine industry. I am also an avid boater and enjoy being on the water.

Pierre Henkart is the historian of the Pride of Baltimore, inc. Pierre has been sailing since his youth in Port Washington, Long Island, racing his Snipe and then dinghies in intercollegiate sailing. A love of science led to a career in immunology research at NIH, allowing opportunities for Chesapeake cruising and other sailing charters and delivery trips over 35 years. Retiring in Annapolis, Pierre has continued Chesapeake cruising, and also discovered a very different kind of sailing experience on Pride of Baltimore II, leading to a dozen Pride guest crew cruises in the Chesapeake, New England, Nova Scotia, and the Great Lakes. These inspired an interest in Baltimore Clipper history and membership on the Maritime Committee of the Maryland Center for History and Culture.

In their library Pierre found the original logbooks of a number of Baltimore Clipper privateers from the War of 1812, providing new insights into a largely forgotten but truly glorious chapter of local maritime history.

Petty Officer (PO) Matthew Mitchell is a proud reservist with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) as a Maritime Enforcement Specialist (ME2). PO Mitchell is currently assigned to Station St. Inigoes, MD in St. Mary’s County, where his station has the primary duties of maritime law enforcement that include boating safety and compliance checks, Maritime Security Response Operations (MSRO) and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. PO Mitchell is a certified Boarding Team Member (BTM) and in this capacity he works with his fellow USCG Boarding Officers (BO) and all team members to ensure that the public and the entire boating community remains safe on the water. PO Mitchell and his shipmates help mitigate risks and vulnerabilities by educating the public on proper procedures, emergency preparedness and their responsibilities and requirements to both legally and safely operate all vessels on the water. PO Mitchell has participated in SAR missions both operationally on the water in a response capacity and from the station assisting his operational shipmates with disseminating intelligence and organizing, coordinating, and deploying assets to emergencies. PO Mitchell and his fellow shipmates ensure that his station maintains a strong working relationship and partnership with all local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and first responders to keep boaters safe. PO Mitchell also serves as a trained peer advocate and resource for mental health awareness and suicide prevention within the USCG. In addition, he actively assists in educational seminars, recruiting efforts and public outreach and liaison events for the USCG as well.

At the Museum, Mr. Lesher leads a team that creates new exhibitions, and he has authored, edited, or contributed to exhibition catalogs, monographs, and periodical articles. He maintains frequent public speaking engagements on a variety of maritime history topics. Mr. Lesher’s other civic engagements include serving on the board of the Maryland Humanities, on the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, on the Council of American Maritime Museums, and as an accreditation peer reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums. Past service includes Chairman of the St. Michaels Historic District Commission, Curatorial Chairman of the Talbot Historical Society, President of the Museum Small Craft Association, President of the Eastern Shore Association of Municipalities, and member of the Easton Historic District Commission

Safrika O'Neal is a Business Development Manager for the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board representing the Mid-Atlantic Region (DE, MD, PA, VA, WV, DC, KY). Born and raised in the British Virgin Islands her love and passion for the destination runs through and through her veins. With over 16 years in the tourism industry and 14 years working with the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board, when asked what her favorite way is to experience the destination, without a doubt, she would say by sea. “ There is maritime magic that happens when you are sailing the BVI waters.” Safrika's work as a Business Development Manager has brought her much acclaim. However, she would tell you the best part of her job is attending sailing shows and interacting with the sailing community. There is so much pleasure in being able to introduce and educate novice and advanced sailors on some of the best ways to immerse and indulge in the Sailing Capital of the World. Although unable to captain her own vessel at this time, Safrika is looking forward to acquiring her Captain’s license in the near future and taking the sailing world into her own hands.