Naples yacht membership club appoints new CEO

David Arredondo, a South Florida-based executive and entrepreneur with experience in technology and e-commerce, has been named CEO of Naples-based Exclusive Yachts, a subscription-based yachting membership club. 

Arredondo brings over two decades of experience in business transformation, startups and corporate strategies to his new role, according to a statement. He was most recently president of HUBX.com, a Miami-based business-to-business anonymous digital marketplace. 

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Now based in Fort Lauderdale, Arredondo replaces previous CEO Scott Stuckmann, who left the company Jan. 1, a spokeswoman says. “While Scott’s contributions helped to successfully launch the company, David was brought on board due to a change of strategy to expand globally,” the spokesperson says in an email to the Business Observer. “David’s successful record of taking startups to the next level, along with his marine background and international experience, will allow us to do that while also strengthening our ties locally.”

Entrepreneurs Bill Charbonneau and Josh Linkner co-founded Exclusive Yachts. Charbonneau had years of operating in the yacht charter space, with Naples Nantucket Yacht Group, which he founded in 2006. Linkner is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur who developed a friendship with Charbonneau as a frequent charter client of NNYG. The pair sought a yacht membership experience that was personal and high-touch, and wasn’t a one-off transactional charter or fractional ownership.  

Members choose from among five tiered membership levels, which start at $70,000 a year for more casual users and go up to $250,000 a year for passionate yachters interested in trips to destinations like the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. Each membership level comes with an allotment of “yacht points” that can be applied for anything from a sunset cruise to multi-day journeys, and members choose the yacht size and destination by making a reservation through a booking app or by phone.

"I am honored to join Exclusive Yachts as CEO and lead this esteemed membership club into its next phase of growth," Arredondo says in the release. "Exclusive Yachts has a strong track record, and I am excited to work with our talented team to further elevate our brand, expand our market presence and deliver seamless, exceptional experiences to our discerning clientele."