Matt Ouilette, CO-OWNER
With over 20 years in the marine industry, Matt’s knowledge and experience help weave together the seamless boat buying experience for customers that Bellingham Yachts aims to provide. As the son of Dean and Donna Ouilette and nephew of Nick Ouilette, Matt is grateful to have grown up around boats and had the opportunity to witness Bellingham Yachts grow and thrive as a company. In 2003, after taking courses at Bellingham Technical College in building, remodeling and woodworking, Matt joined Bellingham Yachts as a shipwright. He was able to gain extensive knowledge about the marine industry in addition to service and sales. Over the years, Matt has held many positions at BYS, giving him a full perspective of each aspect of the company. In July of 2020, Matt and his wife, Heather, purchased the company from his mother, father, and uncle. Together, they are thrilled to carry forward Bellingham Yachts, a company that fosters relationship building and is truly costumer focused.
On weekends, Matt enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters, Olive and Frances, exploring the great outdoors, boating (of course), and mountain biking. As a family, they enjoy traveling and exploring all that the world has to offer.
Heather Ouilette, CO-OWNER
To our company, Heather brings a vast knowledge of business and finance. She has a B.A. in Psychology from Western Washington University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Kaplan University. As Co-Owner of Bellingham Yachts, Heather oversees accounting, business administration, and in-house financing programs, utilizing the experience she gained by owning a local clothing boutique as well as serving as Business Services Manager for nine years at a hospitality firm. Originally joining the BYS team in 2008, Heather stepped away to grow her family and returned in a full-time capacity in 2018.
Heather is the wife of Matt Ouilette, and together they have two beautiful children, Olive and Frances. As a family, they enjoy exploring the great outdoors, boating, camping, and traveling the world.
Jason Frankle, Yacht Broker
Jason’s love of sailing and cruising began in 2006, when he and his wife moved to Belize. Having a boat was the only means of transportation on the island, so Jason quickly learned all the essentials to maintaining a boat while experiencing all the perks of boat ownership. During his time in Belize, he learned to sail and became a charter Captain.
Upon returning to the U.S., Jason earned his 100 ton USCG Captain’s license and began running charters in Alaska. He joined Bellingham Yachts in 2016 and enjoys sharing his vast knowledge of yacht mechanics, cruising, and navigating to all his clients.
Jason now splits his time between Bellingham and the U.S. Virgin Islands which allows him to enjoy fishing and kite boarding the waters of both the Pacific Northwest and the Caribbean!
Ronnie Gonzales, Customer Service
Ronnie is an experienced service specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the maritime industry. Skilled in operations management, customer service, engineering, and strategic planning, he is a strong support professional.
He graduated from the Universal Technical Institute Arizona Inc. In his spare time, Ronnie enjoys snowmobiling at Mount Baker and in Eastern Washington, boating, and finding sunny places.
Scott Huso, Service Coordinator
Scott grew up in Eastern, WA where he developed his love for the water on canoe trips to the Boundary Waters and Quetico Canoe areas in Minnesota. During his time at Washington State University, his passion transitioned to whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Salmon and Snake Rivers in Idaho and Washington. After college, Scott made the move to Bellingham, where he pursued a career in public safety.
After three decades serving the public of Whatcom County, Scott retired and found himself seeking a new challenge. Eager to expand his knowledge, including obtaining a 25 Ton USCG Captains License in 2022, Scott joined the BYS team to be closer to the water, and help others enjoy problem-free boating.
In his spare time Scott enjoys spending time with his family, exploring the San Juans and Gulf Islands on his Ranger Tug and long-distance cycling.
Josh Lowe, Service Manager
Josh grew up lake fishing with family and salt water fishing with a friend through his teens. He bought his first sailboat when he was in his twenties and traded that for a 32’ powerboat. Josh was born and raised in Whatcom County. In his free time, Josh enjoys elk hunting, long range shooting, roping, camping, snow skiing, and cooking with his family. He also loves to support his kids with their beef cow 4H projects.
Before joining the Bellingham Yachts team as Service Manager, Josh worked as the Service Manager at Signature Yachts, the largest sailboat dealer in the Seattle area. During his 5 years at Signature Yachts, Josh had the privilege of touring all the Beneteau Factories and attending the Beneteau Technical Training in France twice. In 2019, Josh was awarded the “Beneteau North American Dealer Top Gun for Service”. For Josh, the best thing about working for Bellingham Yachts is that it’s “always easy to know what to do if you are focused on doing the right thing”.
Ryan Sluss, Service Consultant
Ryan Sluss grew up in Western Washington, deeply influenced by his grandparents’ and parents’ love for boating. Continuing the family tradition, Ryan started with water skiing and wakeboarding before transitioning from small powerboats to surf boats, then sailboats, and now a trawler.
Ryan joined BYS to immerse himself in the boating culture, embrace emerging technology, enjoy the camaraderie of good people, and savor the scent of saltwater every day at work. Ryan enjoys cruising the San Juan Islands with his wife and friends, boating on Lake Whatcom, hiking, and recently exploring the land with a travel trailer.
Mark Enstad, Chief Shipwright
Mark has 30 years of experience in the marine industry and has known Sabre, Back Cove and Cutwater yachts inside and out for 17 years. We are delighted that he is our Chief Shipwright which is the perfect combination for our customers to ensure a job well done. He knows customers want their investments just right.
According to Mark, "It takes a combination of respect for the customer, the vessel itself and patience to tend to every detail in a way that leaves the customer feeling heard and satisfied." He is crazy about his family, wife Cheryl and two kids, Maya,22 and Pax 19.
Jason Bucy, Electronics Technician
When you think of Jason Bucy, three words come to mind: hardworking, passionate, and heartwarming. Jason has always been around boats, even from an early age. Between his grandparents and parents, Jason has cruised all along the coats of Washington and parts of Canada.
After High School, Jason got a Business Degree from Bellevue College. He then went on to graduate at the top of his class from the Northwest Marine Center of Excellence in Anacortes, Washington. During that time, he became ABYC certified, got an NMEA advance installers license, became an official installer for Garmin and TrackVision and is on his way to becoming a certified Volvo Diesel Marine Technician. Jason's biggest influence is Nigel Caler.
Most of Jason's learning stems from Caler's book Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual. This material-dense textbook is rich with very useful information for anyone with a boat, or working on boats. Jason's life goal is to hone his craft, and become a master at his trade.
"Pleasure in the job, puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle
Colin Bunnell, Shipwright
Colin is from Kenmore, Washington and came to Bellingham in search of mountain biking trails, wide open spaces, and a good place for him and his wife to raise their two kids. In his free time, he enjoys mountain biking, sailboat racing, and exploring beaches and parks with his family.
Colin grew up sailing on his parents CT41 Sailboat throughout the San Juans. After high school, Colin got a job working for a Seattle Sailing Club maintaining their fleet and giving sailing lessons. From there Colin moved on to a Service Technician role for Signature Yachts. For the last 10 years, Colin has worked as a installer and rigger for CSR Marine in Ballard. Colin has his ABYC Systems Installation certification, is a certified GARMIN installer, and a certified IMTRA installer.
Josh Dentel, Detailer
Josh Dentel was raised in Bellingham, Washington, and grew up boating and fishing in the San Juan Islands. In high school, Josh played football and basketball. He took a college football scholarship at Dupage College in Chicago, where he majored in Business Management. After college, Josh returned to Bellingham. While moving away was a great experience, Josh is a “true Washingtonian” and enjoys living in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Josh has been in the detailing business since he was fifteen. He began detailing in the automotive industry and quickly moved to RVs and boats. He enjoys seeing the finished product and is constantly looking to learn new skills and expand his knowledge. We are happy to have his skill, eye for perfection, and positive attitude here at BYS!
MacKenzie Philips, Detailer
MacKenzie was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington.
As a teenager, MacKenzie learned the craft of woodworking from her grandfather, who owns a cabinetry business. A skilled woodworker, MacKenzie has built everything from cabinets and bookshelves to linen closets. Currently, she is building a tiny house!
MacKenzie enjoys the independent nature of her job, and the attention to details it requires. She especially likes varnishing because it gives her the chance to incorporate her woodworking skills.
MacKenzie also studies theology at Moody Bible Institute. Outside of work and school, she enjoys hiking and backpacking on the coast of the Olympic Peninsula, deer and elk hunting in Eastern Washington, and hosting game nights with her friends and family.
Mickie Wilkinson, Detailer
Mickie, originally from Berkeley, California, moved to Washington just before high school where he attended Bainbridge High. Mickie grew up around boats and started working here at BYS because he wanted more hands-on experience. As a detailer, Mickie’s enthusiasm and positivity shine through in his willingness to assist the BYS team in any way possible.
In his free time, Mickie enjoys mountain biking and working on his truck and car. Mickie’s hands-on approach and positive energy make him a valuable asset to our team.
Cheyenne Hanson, Administrative Assistant
Born and raised in Bellingham, Cheyenne’s youth was spent traveling with family and exploring the beautiful PNW. Later Cheyenne graduated with a BA in Archeological sciences, from the University of Washington, and further enriched her experiences traveling and working with her husband around the country.
Cheyenne’s love for the PNW eventually led her back here where she was drawn to BYS for the opportunity to help our clients achieve their dreams of adventuring on the water. At BYS, she combines her warm disposition and her multifaceted skill set to provide support to our dynamic team.
Outside the office Cheyenne enjoys watching her favorite TV shows, embarking on new travels, and enjoying Whatcom County’s beer scene with her husband and dog.
Matt Colombo, Jr. Technician
Matt Colombo is from Traverse City, Michigan. Growing up around the Great Lakes gave him a deep appreciation for the water—spending his summers tubing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and fishing. Fueled by his passion for mechanics Matt graduated from technical school alongside his High School Diploma and honed his skills as a Jr. technician at Grand Bay Marine. Upon relocating to Bellingham, he was thrilled to join BYS, where he could work on high-end boats and be surrounded by the stunning Pacific Northwest waters every day.
In his free time Matt enjoys outdoor adventures like biking, skiing, backpacking, and camping with his friends and family. As a newcomer to Washington, he likes to seize every opportunity to explore and discover new landscapes. Currently he is pursuing his long-term goal of aviation mechanics at Everett Community College. Matt’s commitment to personal and professional growth makes him a valuable member of the BYS Team!
Dean Ouilette, CO-FOUNDER
Dean was responsible for all business administration. He now serves as a consultant to Bellingham Yachts as he has experience in all areas of the company. Before coming ashore to be with his family, he worked as the navigation officer aboard ARCO supertankers.
Dean loves seeing each BYS customer matched with the right boat and hearing about all the fun they are having years later! Dean has received the prestigious Sabre Yachts Broker of the Year twice for top sales achievement in 1996 and 2006. Finally, Dean and his wife Donna have a passion for Christian missionary work in Haiti.
Nick Ouilette, CO-FOUNDER
Nick's life has revolved around maritime related professions since entering the Maine Maritime Academy in 1967. Upon graduation in 1971, and receiving his USCG license to be an engineer aboard tankers, cruise ships and other large ships requiring the unlimited horsepower rating, Nick then led the life of a professional seafarer for 7 years. After that Nick was also employed as a planning engineer, nuclear refueling engineer in East Coast shipyards, and power plant operator.
This was all leading up to his current career as co-founder of Bellingham Yacht Sales, that began in 1984 with his brother Dean. His engineering background has been beneficial in covering yacht maintenance, repair, new installations, and warranty interface with Sabre and Back Cove yachts.