Jay Williams grew up aboard boats, first aboard a classic wooden sailing yacht on Lake Michigan, then sailing California and Mexico with his family. 

Somewhat predictably, when he graduated from college in 1996, he ran off to sea. In Alaska, he was First Mate aboard the wooden purse seiner Souvenier. He then moved to the Bahamas and went to work in the dive industry, rising to the Fleet Captain position with Blackbeard's Cruises, working aboard all three of their dive liveaboard sloops. Blackbeards and their week-long dive trips would serve as a valuable training ground, teaching lessons of self-sufficiency and leadership that would provide the underpinning of a career focused on love for the ocean and a high standard of ethics.

In 1999, Jay made the transition to the yacht industry, specializing in new builds with Ferretti Yachts, often traveling to their facilities in Italy to manage new vessel construction. His business grew to specialize in problem-solving, frequently being hired to handle complex crew/owner interactions and seemingly impossible mechanical issues. He worked for the Presidential Family of Ecuador and transported their yacht from Fort Lauderdale to Guayaquil. 

In 2015, Jay went to work as a yacht broker in San Diego, working for 50 North Yachts. After a move to Florida and a resumption of his work as a project manager and captain, he accepted a desk with G Marine Yachts and brokered new and used vessels there, including Fairline and Astondoa Yachts.  

In 2018, Jay was attacked by a shark in the Bahamas, a near-fatal incident. He will be forever grateful to the owners and employees of Chub Cay, as well as the crew of the yacht Casino Royale, who saved his life.

Having taken a turn into shipyard management after G Marine's closure during the pandemic, Jay managed shipyards in Chicago and Wisconsin, then became a Program Director for an electric vehicle startup in Utah, designing and prototyping the next generation of electric boat powertrains. 

After a stint as Vice President at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Jay has returned to brokerage with his broad skill set and engineering knowledge, providing an experienced eye to his clients.