Sailing school company promotes internally for new CFO

Fort Myers-based Offshore Sailing School has promoted its controller, Dana Matthews, to executive vice president and CFO. 

Prior to joining Offshore Sailing School in early 2022, Matthews worked in finance roles at various property management companies, according to a statement. She spent over 11 years at the Internet Society in leadership positions, culminating in director of financial reporting and accounting, and she served as CFO-COO for the American Bird Conservancy. 

“We are pleased to announce this executive move as part of our on-going development of new leadership roles as we head into Offshore Sailing School’s 60th year,” Offshore Sailing President and CEO Doris Colgate says in the statement “With 30 years of experience in financial management, business leadership, and corporate strategy and growth, Dana has already made a lasting impact in helping us develop our team for substantial growth in the future.” 

Offshore Sailing School was founded in 1964 by Olympic and America’s Cup sailor Steve Colgate and has been run by the Colgate husband and wife team together since 1969. Steve Colgate was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2015; Doris Colgate was inducted in 2022. It has had locations on Captiva Island since 1975, the British Virgin Islands since 1974 and in St. Petersburg since the 1990s. All levels of sailing instruction are taught, from basic sailing, to cruising, passage making and racing on a fleet of 26- to 50-foot monohull and catamaran yachts. Powerboat courses are provided on 37- to 51-foot power cats.