President
Dean West
Advocacy & Legislative Committee Chairperson
Ethics Committee Chairperson
Dean A. West rejoins the current Board, having served on & off at various times over the past 30 years, including as president. Dean has served in a number of capacities on the CYBA Board, currently as Vice President, Chair of both the Ethics Committee and of the Advocacy and Legislation Committee. In Dean’s role as the Ethics chairman, he was instrumental in the rewriting and updating of the CYBA’s industry-acclaimed Code of Ethics. Dean writes columns for The CYBA News, delving into individual ethics topics, best practices, and industry pitfalls.
In his role as Advocacy and Legislative Chair, Dean represents the CYBA’s interests on local, state and national fronts, including the American Boating Congress in Washington DC and the California Boating Congress in Sacramento. Dean also serves on the newly energized Boat Show Committee, working to launch the CYBA’s exciting new Pacific Sail & Power Boat Show.
Dean was a founding member of the San Diego Superyacht Association, an early member of the Certification Advisory Council (CAC) of the CPYB program, and one of the first Certified Professional Yacht Brokers (CPYB) in California. Dean sat on the Board of the International Yacht Council (IYC) and has interacted with brokerage and recreational boating groups throughout the US.
Dean is a proud, two-time recipient of the esteemed Merle Parke award, the highest award presented by the CYBA.
Having grown up on the Great Lakes, Dean got his first boat at five years of age, and since then has been involved in numerous facets of recreational boating including construction, captaining, racing, and selling new and used power & sail boats. Over the years he has cruised the Pacific, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Sea of Cortez, Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, much of the Great Loop, and even the Nile!
Dean is the president of Dean A. West Marine Enterprises. When business allows, Dean and his partner Pamela divide their time between San Diego, their island home in Northern Michigan, and travelling.
Bill has decades of experience and a vast knowledge of boating and boats of all kinds. His passion for boating and being on the water began at a very young age. He grew up in Ohio where his dad took him on boating excursions and fishing trips, exploring the Great Lakes. He learned to drive and dock a boat when he was just 8 years old. By 19, Bill already had his first boat. He was also an avid water skier and power boat racer. Bill even set a world record in power boat racing in 1972!
In 1983, Bill formed Coastline Yachts. He became the Chris Craft Dealer in San Diego, adding Ocean Yachts, Ocean Alexander, Tollycraft and Blackfin to his product line. He also founded Palmer Yachts, which had an exclusive focus on brokerage (pre-owned) boats, as well as both power and sail. Bill gained a wealth of experience and knowledge while running his own companies.
Another big opportunity landed in Bill’s lap in 2003, when he joined Ardell Yacht & Ship Brokers, a large brokerage firm in Newport Beach that had a national focus. He had 13 very successful years with them. Bill led the team in 2009 as the Top Salesperson of the Year, and again in 2013 as the Top Salesperson of the Year, for the entire company, nationwide.
Bill feels he is at home now at Denison Yachting and in the perfect place to share his passion and knowledge of both power and sail boats, while helping his clients find the perfect fit for them and their lifestyle. Bill’s vast experience should carry over nicely to his role with the CYBA.
Honorably discharged from the USAF, Mik settled in the Bay Area and used his computer training for work until completing his college degree at San Francisco State College in 1972. He then worked with a national corporation, managing 40 independently owned dealer outlets. Following a stint of motivational training to industry, he entered the sales side of the marine industry and has been a licensed salesman and broker for 44 years. During that time, owning his own business and managing others. He has been recognized nationally for his efforts in marine safety and has worked closely for the last twenty years with the California Division of Boating & Waterways & USCG.
Mik is currently working in the Central Delta with Pacific Boat Services, providing full yard service, marina berthing & full brokerage services.
Credentials and/or accomplishments:
- Licensed California Marine Salesperson (Since 1982)
- Certified Professional Yacht Broker Credentials (CPYB)
- Past Licensed Marine Insurance Agent
- Past President & Board Member, Northern California Marine Association
- Past President, Board Member, California Yacht Broker’s Association
- California/Nevada Boating Safety Council (charter member)
- National Association of Boating Safety Administrators Award Recipient
- Host, Clear Channel’s ‘The Boating Show’
Mik has cruised the West Coast to the Sea of Cortez (5 times) and has knowledge in preparing a vessel for ‘offshore’ cruising. Some Caribbean cruising and Bay & Delta since 1954. Mik has sold over 30 million dollars in recreational vessels and to this day has many clients counted as best friends.
Miquel ‘Q’ Corelli proudly rejoins the Board of Directors having served 20 years earlier. Born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland, his love for the water, yachting and traditions have carried him throughout his entire maritime career. For the past 24 years, Q has owned and operated Corelli Coastal Yachts, a boutique yacht sales and service company based on the simple philosophy: ‘Passion with Integrity’
He has over 30 years of experience in the marine industry, holds a USCG 200 GRT Master License, is a Certified National Boating and Safety Instructor and has been a member of the CYBA since 2003. Miquel decided to return to the CYBA Board where he could give back and serve the interests of his professional peers, elevate the awareness and value of the CYBA, and work to protect and preserve this industry we all love.
Mark Gibbons joins the California Yacht Broker Association (CYBA) Board of Directors, bringing over a decade of high-level luxury yacht brokerage experience and a background in technology sales leadership.
Mark is the founder of 50 North Yachts, a brokerage established to modernize luxury yachting through tech-forward operations, client-centric services, and strategic growth—including the acquisition of Fairline California, where he previously served as Sales Manager. A licensed and bonded Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) in both California and Florida, Mark has represented prominent international shipyards such as Fairline, Monte Carlo Yachts, Ferretti, Pershing, Riva, Bertram, Azimut, and Jeanneau Power, handling both domestic and international brokerage transactions.
Prior to entering the marine industry, Mark built a career managing sales teams and launching software products in the high-tech sector. He leverages this experience to drive innovation and high standards of professionalism within the yachting community.
Director
Nick Friedman
CPYB
Forms Committee Chairperson
Office: 310.547.4416
Cell: 310.748.5409
yachtbroker@pacbell.net
Nick is president of the Shoreline Yacht Group, comprised of San Pedro Yachts in San Pedro and Pacific Sailing and Motor Yacht Sales in Long Beach. Nick learned to sail in the Sea Scouts in San Francisco as a boy and has enjoyed boating for much of his life.
He began his career selling boats in 1995 and in 1998 purchased San Pedro Yachts. He and his staff have dedicated themselves to helping each of their client’s dreams of boating come true.
Nick has been a CYBA member since 1999 and joined the board of directors in 2006. He was president of the CYBA in 2008 and is proud to have been the 2011 recipient of the Merle Parks award for dedicated service to the California yacht industry, the highest award given by the CYBA.
With 30 years of experience in the marine industry, and 25 years of experience as a broker in California, plus a Florida sales license, Chirs has faced a lot of the challenges everyone faces firsthand.
Owner and Broker of Record of West Coast Yachts in Newport Beach, Chris also has the experience of a new boat dealer and running a yacht services company.
This is his career, and he wants to make sure it stays strong, vibrant, and sustainable for the future. Some of the concerns Chris feels are impacting the industry in its ability to grow and be successful are the aging of people in the business, as well as the shortage of new skilled labor, from mechanics to surveyors. He also believes it’s important to support smaller brokerages, especially as larger companies start to dominate the market.
Chris hopes his position on the Board of Directors will put him in a position to be a part of the solution in solving issues faced today in the brokerage community and feels it’s time to give a little back to the industry that has given so much to him so that it can remain successful for years to come.
Leilani Anne Wales, CPYB, is a yacht sales professional, a woman business owner, and a respected leader within the California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA). She is the owner of AGL Yacht Sales, where she brings a client-focused, ethical, and service-driven approach to yacht brokerage and representation.
Leilani previously served as Chairperson of the CYBA–GEO, Chairperson of the CYBA Board of Directors, and Chairperson of the CYBA Annual Dinner, holding leadership roles within the organization for a combined total of six years. She stepped down from her position on the Board of Directors in 2025. In recognition of her continued dedication, experience, and impact, she was invited to return and proudly accepted a position as a CYBA Board of Directors member for 2026.
A passionate advocate for women in the marine industry, Leilani founded the CYBA–GEO Women of the Waterfront initiative to celebrate, elevate, and connect women professionals across the waterfront. She is also the creator and host of the podcast “Women of the Waterfront,” which highlights industry leaders, shares professional insight, and amplifies women’s voices throughout the yachting community.
Her leadership and service have earned her consistent peer recognition, including being voted a nominee three times for the CYBA–GEO Women of the Waterfront Award.
Executive Director
Past President
Mark P. White
310.968.9376
markpwhite@cyba.info
Mailing Address
California Yacht Brokers Association
PO Box 4129
Oceanside, CA 92052
Mark P. White brings over 30 years of hands-on marine industry experience, leadership, and expertise to his role as Executive Director of the California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA). A licensed and bonded California Yacht Broker, Mark’s long-standing dedication to the boating community has established him as a trusted voice and standard-bearer for professional yacht brokerage across the West Coast.
Having previously served as CYBA President, Mark possesses a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape, ethical standards, and educational needs that drive the association. In his executive capacity, he oversees CYBA’s strategic initiatives, industry advocacy, legal and best-practices seminars, and member programs ensuring that CYBA members maintain the highest level of integrity and professional excellence in the yacht sales industry.
Mark remains actively engaged in strengthening relationships between brokers, consumers and state regulatory bodies to foster a thriving, transparent and safe boating community throughout California.