Brian Strauss
Brian Strauss grew up with an introduction to boating on the Northeast River in Northeast MD, the upper part of the Chesapeake Bay in the mid-’80s. In 1990 his father, whom he grew up fishing and working on boats with, decided to make a move to Cape May, NJ. There, Brian began his pursuit of billfish and other offshore pelagic species. Just before attending college at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Brian had his first job in the marine industry as a dock attendant at a local marina. Spending that summer around some of the most impressive sportfishing vessels of the time who were competing at a high level for big tournament wins, cemented his passion for being in the marine industry in some form or another.
After college, Brian joined his family’s businesses. The 15 years spent in these businesses provided Brian with a wealth of knowledge on many different levels. Weekends and days off were spent working on fishing boats as a mate in Cape May.
Time at Royal Motorsport and Marine allowed Brian to gain mechanical and electrical experience while developing his sales skills. This business taught him how to sell and install automotive aftermarket products like car alarms, trailer hitches, etc., as well as light mechanical duties such as oil changes and brake jobs. It also involved sales of jet boats which gave him his first experience with boat shows. During his time at Royal Paper Products, he was able to continue honing his skills in sales and customer service as well as business administration and management.
In 2010, Brian was able to make the marine industry his primary focus. After years of working with his family to build a successful business, an opportunity developed for him to join J. Byrne Marine Insurance. For 12 years, Brian put his past business experience to work building a network of Yacht Brokers and other lead sources to grow his book of business allowing him to meet and advise boat owners and other clients on risks and coverage options. With this position, Brian was able to work remotely and spend more time using his Captain’s license which he received in 1998.
Having the flexibility to work anywhere, allowed Brian to work on many different vessels up and down the east coast and throughout the Caribbean. From 2015 through 2022, the bulk of his time was spent as Captain on a 60’ Viking Sportfish called “Gigabyte 2”. Running Gigabyte from Cape May along the east coast down thru the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, and to the Dominican Republic (in addition to extensive time in Isla Mujeres Mexico) where they recently achieved a memorable milestone releasing their 1000th billfish.
When working with clients Brian utilizes over 30 years of diverse work experience to navigate issues and concerns to provide the best service for his clients.
When Brian is not on the water, he enjoys spending time with his wife Kristin hiking, biking, and enjoying the outdoors.