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Seattle yacht broker, Brad Pilz was born and raised in Wenatchee, Washington. He grew up boating in the many rivers and lakes of Central Washington and developed a passion for the outdoors. While attending college at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Brad worked on many boats in the local harbor. That was the start of his career in the marine industry.
Brad is an outdoorsman who enjoys nature and all outdoor activities. His biggest hobbies have been mountain biking and downhill skiing. Brad is an avid cyclist, but has always focused on his mountain bike. He joked that he avoids biking on the side of the road as much as possible. In addition to his outdoor hobbies, Brad enjoys woodworking and cabinetry projects. He’s currently building a deck on the back of his house.
Brad comes from a tightknit family. He’s the proud father of daughters, Brittany and Tessa. His younger daughter, Tessa is currently studying abroad in New Zealand for five weeks. When she returns to the States, she will finish up her last year of college at the University of Washington.
For the majority of his life, Brad has lived in Seattle working different jobs in the marine industry. Shortly after college, he spent a few years working in Sun Valley, Idaho. This is where Brad met his wife, Evelyn. While living in Idaho, Brad enjoyed hiking in the mountains and kayaking in the rivers. He also did a lot of biking and rock-climbing. Brad said it was a great time, but he felt landlocked and missed being near the sea. Brad and Evelyn moved back to Seattle and started their family.
Upon moving back to Seattle, Brad started Sterling Yacht Center, a full service yacht repair and maintenance facility specializing in marine electronics and yacht outfitting. His company serviced customers on Lake Union for 16 years and developed a reputation for traveling to Canada and Alaska to help customers in need.
In 2007, Brad went to work for Selene Seattle as their service manager and quickly advanced to General Manager, where he helped build and deliver many Selene Trawlers during that time. While working there, he enjoyed cruising British Columbia and circumnavigated Vancouver Island as well. During his last six months at Selene, Brad stepped into a brokerage role.
Brad left Selene and came to work for Denison during the first quarter of 2013. While at Selene, he worked closely with Kevin Frawley when Denison was a Selene dealer. “We established a good relationship. I would come down to the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show and visit with Denison,” said Brad. The career change was a smooth transition for Brad. “When I decided to leave Selene, Kevin and Bob stepped up and told me to come work at Denison. They’re both great guys.”
Joining the Denison team has been a refreshing experience for Brad. “The best thing about working at Denison is that they place a lot of trust in their individual brokers, and they treat you with a lot of respect.” Brad likes the management structure and the marketing support. He credits the company with establishing a new model of a yacht brokerage with their aggressive marketing. “There isn’t a better company for marketing. They’re wonderful people to work for, and what they do to help sell boats is great.”
“In this business, we forge long-term relationships with our customers,” said Brad. Having been in a brokerage role for only a couple of years, he already reminisces on some of his most memorable deals. Brad recently sold a 47’ Eastbay out of Florida. He came down to Florida and made sure that the deal ran smoothly throughout the sea trial and survey. After closing, the client was able to cruise the boat on the ICW to Fort Lauderdale and then shipped her to British Columbia, where Brad offloaded and brought her to Seattle. Another deal Brad will never forget was selling Steve Miller’s 65 Pacific Mariner named Abracadabra.
With the growing popularity of cruising in the Northwest, Brad would like to focus on working with people out of the Seattle area, encouraging them to take delivery of their boats in the Northwest. “If you’re going to buy a boat, buy it up in the Northwest and enjoy cruising up to British Columbia and around Washington State. If you have time, take that opportunity and cruise to Alaska,” he said. Brad notes the many differences of cruising in the Northwest as opposed to the East Coast, particularly the wildlife and rugged inlets. In the Pacific Northwest, it’s not uncommon to encounter whales, bears, and eagles. “It’s like the wild west out there. You need to be self-reliant with your boat and its equipment.”
When it comes to selling your boat, Brad advises using a brokerage firm that has the tools to get your boat the best exposure on the top listing sites, and working with a broker who knows about service. With 15 years of experience in yacht service, Brad literally knows boats inside and out. “I’m a systems guy. I just don’t show boats; I explain them to customers,” he said. The knowledge of boat systems enables Brad to explain any repairs in detail. “When I walk onto a boat, I have the knowledge on what it takes to safely cruise the boat in the Northwest. I will never sell a problem, but have a strong sense of responsibility to deliver a dream. The boat has to be in good shape: physically, mechanically, and cosmetically.”
Brad’s positive attitude and determination to help Denison grow make him an invaluable member of the team. “I definitely want to see the Seattle office expand and become a larger fixture in the Northwest, and eventually expand our presence down into Portland and up into Vancouver,” he said. Brad also would like to help Denison expand their charter business from Seattle to Alaska. “My goal is to make Denison a leader in the Northwest yachting industry.”
With his passion for boating and a desire to help others, Brad strives to create a positive boating experience for his clients by exceeding customer expectations. “I want to continue owning my talents as a yacht broker and provide the best service possible.”
