Stefan Witzenburg

I grew up on the North Shore of long Island and have always been close to the water.

I was bitten by the sailing bug as a kid, when my father purchased a used Sunfish sailboat. His tales of misadventure are still with me. Vowing not to repeat his mistakes, I attended all the municipal sailing programs I could. Eventually participating in a number of local racing programs, graduating to bigger boats and events, I love to sail and crew.

I attained a degree in Biology from the University of Rhode Island where my appreciation for the coastal life was only amplified. After college, my father and I endeavored to restore a tired old sailboat, into a beautiful old sailboat. We repowered her, removing an old gasoline engine and retrofitted a modern Volvo diesel. We spent an entire summer ‘on the hard’ pressing to finish what we started. Every system was removed and replaced anew. It was an incredibly demanding project.

The following summer’s launch made it all worthwhile. That project gave me an appreciation for the amount of work involved in boatbuilding, restoration and maintenance.

Professionally, I‘ve had the incredible experience of both working and living in New York City, a childhood dream come true. After more than 22 years of commuting I wanted to hang up my commuter hat and began exploring options. The position at Dimillo’s feels like a logical progression. I get to combine my skill set with amazing products, clients, and colleagues.

My daughters are both Optimist sailors and my wife is an avid rower. We spend most of our free time at Opti regattas or various sporting events. If we’re lucky, we’re rafted up with friends, sailing, skiing, or just “on the beach”.

Stefan joined DiMillo’s in 2024.