Jeff Merrill, CPYB, is well known to CYBA members as a long-serving Board of Directors member and President of our association in 2015 and 2016.
Jeff is one of the few California brokers who is also a CPYB (Certified Professional Yacht Broker), and he has spent the last five years as a volunteer on the national governing board for CPYB, known as the CAC (Certificate Advisory Council). The CPYB program is managed by YBAA (Yacht Broker Association of America), which just held its annual YBAAU Yacht Broker University at the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island.
As the yacht brokerage business changes and evolves, traveling is becoming more common, and networking with other brokers is now even more important.
Jeff, along with 80 other brokers, attended and enjoyed the various presentations, similar in spirit to the CYBA legal seminar, but covering many different topics, including ABYC standards, a market report, a yacht designer panel, and an overview of how AI is changing our business.
At the end of the program, the final portion recognized two individuals for their leadership and commitment to the brokerage world.
Don Finkle, CPYB, of RCR Yachts in New York, was presented the Vin Petrella Award for Excellence, and Jeff Merrill, CPYB, was presented a special Dedicated Service Award for his contributions.
On behalf of the CYBA, we want to congratulate Jeff for his individual award, for keeping our association front of mind among his peers, and for his overall body of work. Jeff is a dedicated yacht broker and a successful professional, and the CYBA is pleased to share this recognition with our members.