Jeff has been with the company since 2008 and was promoted to Sales Mgr in 2023. He began rowing in 1988 at St. Joe’s Collegiate Institute in Buffalo, New York. Easily the worst rower on the team, he was in better shape the following fall, earning the Doc Shaub Award as best high school oarsmen at West Side Rowing Club by senior year. After rowing throughout college, Jeff launched his coaching career, bringing a novice team to gold at the Head of the Hooch his first year. As Vespoli’s long time Southeast rep, Jeff has become a trusted advisor to all the regional programs. He and his lovely wife Kelly have two boys, Holden and Knox, in Orlando, Florida.

And we welcome Brendan Murphy as our new Northeast rep. Fresh off a coaching stint at Marietta College, Brendan joined up in late August and is ready to hit the ground running. We’re excited to have him on-board!

John began rowing at LaSalle College High School in Philadelphia, continuing with crew as an undergraduate at LaSalle University and as a Masters rower. His older sons began rowing in high school, sparking John’s involvement with Junior rowing and regatta operations. He coached at Radnor High School and Philadelphia Adaptive Rowing and has served as Vice President of the Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association. John remains an avid Masters rower and loves to race. When he’s not on the river, he enjoys skiing, snowboarding, and boating at the Jersey Shore. John, his wife, and their three sons reside in Wayne, Pennsylvania

Gary started rowing at Tampa Catholic High School and went on to row for Stetson University. He has ten years of coaching experience at programs throughout Florida as well the University of Georgia and University of Rochester. Outside of coaching, he has worked as a Firefighter/EMT and real estate agent. Gary is based out of Melbourne, FL where he enjoys rowing on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Dan Baker is a dedicated rowing coach and endurance athlete with deep roots in the sport. Growing up on Cape Cod, Dan began his rowing journey at Denise Reginal High School, where he developed his skills as a lightweight rower for a local club. His early experiences in rowing instilled a lifelong passion for the sport and laid the foundation for his future endeavors.

After undergoing back surgery, Dan made the transition from rowing to endurance sports, embracing the challenges and rewards of marathons and Ironman competitions. His hard work and determination paid off when he qualified for and competed in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii in 2006.

In addition to his athletic achievements, Dan has made significant contributions to the rowing community as the Program Director for a small rowing program on Cape Cod. He later moved to Boston to serve as the Boatman for MIT, enhancing the rowing team’s operations and support. Now, Dan is excited to bring his passion and expertise to Vespoli, where he looks forward to helping athletes and coaches achieve their goals while continuing to promote the values of teamwork and perseverance in the sport of rowing.

Micah grew up in the upper Mid-West where he started rowing at the Minnesota Boat Club. Then went to Wisconsin and won the 2002 Eastern Sprints Varsity 8+ in a Vespoli! He continued his rowing career at Penn AC and where he rowed at the 2005 World Championships and eventually at the 2008 Olympic Games in the Men’s Eight winning a bronze medal!

His coaching career started in the Southeast at Emory University, then continued at UNC-Chapel Hill coaching the men’s team for 6 years before moving to the Duke Women’s Rowing team. Micah found his way out west and has coached with the Waterford School in Utah and continues to live in Salt Lake City.

Dave began rowing for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1979. After a short career in the yards building aircraft carriers and submarines, he returned to rowing as UMass Amherst’s Head Coach. Always interested in finding ways to improve his coaching skills, Dave earned his Masters in biomechanics and coached at pre-elite camps in the summer. In 1991, Dave joined Vespoli as the first and only salesman touring the country. As CEO, Dave is proud to lead the company in its employee-owned era. He lives in Hamden with his wife Liz, a rowing coach, and their dog Rio.

Tony has more than three decades of finance, business strategy, and general management experience. As Vespoli’s CFO, Tony oversees the company’s financial reporting, employee stock ownership program, and administrative functions. He spent over 25 years in the construction industry before joining the Vespoli team, holding various positions in management, financial preparation, and reporting. Tony holds an accounting degree from Quinnipiac University.

Matt LeBlanc is Vespoli’s Repair Manager, overseeing all aspects of repair and refurbishment. His rowing career spanned from high school crew to rowing and coaching for Grand Valley State University, and he served as boatman at the University of Michigan for 14 years before opening his own repair shop. Matt also founded Michigan’s Bomber Rowing Club in 2012. His expertise lends to quick repairs, easy transport, and streamlined administration.

Joe Connors began his rowing career at Simsbury High School and continued at the University of Rhode Island. He also competed in Cheng Du, China for team USA at the World University Games. Joe spent time coaching at URI before moving back to CT to join Vespoli. Joe holds a degree in Finance and Chinese as well as an MBA from the University of Rhode Island. Joe continues to row competitively in Hartford for Riverfront Recaputure.