For
Immediate Release
Contact: Caroline Chetelat at ABYC
(410) 990-4460,
x22
cchetelat@abycinc.org

Hargrave Custom Yachts Celebrates Yet Another
Graduate in a
Long Line of Westlawn Students
Evaluation of Former YDI Student Leads to
Westlawn Diploma

July 9, 2007, Annapolis, MD: The Westlawn
Institute of Marine Technology is pleased to announce that for the first time,
Westlawn has granted a diploma to a former Yacht Design Institute (YDI) student.
Greg
Boyko,
of Hargrave Custom Yachts,
earned his Westlawn diploma as a result of the first former-student evaluation,
which consisted of a review of his YDI courses and new submitted design work.
This evaluation procedure was created as part of Westlawn’s acquisition of YDI
in 2006.

Left to Right: Mike Joyce and Greg Boyko
Greg is the second Westlawn graduate
currently working in Hargrave Custom Yachts’ design department. Mike Joyce, CEO of Hargrave
Custom yachts, arranged for a graduation celebration at Hargrave to present
Greg with his Westlawn diploma. Joyce said, “It was a wonderful day for me personally
to be able to present a second diploma to a Westlawn graduate since taking over
the Hargrave company. I want to thank Westlawn for making all this possible not
only for Greg Boyko, but for the entire Hargrave family. We take great pride in
our company's long history with Westlawn, and the list of honored recipients to
receive a Westlawn diploma who not only played an important role in our company,
but in the yachting industry overall is impressive indeed. Keep up the great
work!” In addition, Hargrave carries on the distinguished tradition of the
famous naval architect Jack Hargrave, who himself was a Westlawn graduate.
Westlawn director, Dave Gerr stated, “We’re
pleased as punch, to be able to help further the careers of Greg Boyko and Ben Dodarell
[the other Westlawn graduate at Hargrave], and it’s every bit as important,
that we’re able to help companies like Hargrave Custom Yachts get the qualified
employees they require. It’s doubly rewarding to not only be able to help
Hargrave Custom Yachts, as they been long-time supporters of Westlawn, but to
also be able to assist a former YDI student at the same time.”
As announced previously,
Westlawn acquired the former YDI (which ceased
operations in 1988) last year, and is
committed to supporting YDI students and graduates as it does Westlawn students
and grads.
Founded in 1930, the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is
the only nationally accredited and state-certified distance-learning school of
small-craft design in the United States. As the not-for-profit educational affiliate of the American Boat and Yacht Council, the mission of
the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is threefold:
■ To provide our students with the skills and knowledge
required to build a rewarding career in the profession of yacht and small-craft
naval architecture.
■ To support continued growth of the
recreational and small-craft marine community through the development of
well-trained, safety-oriented, boat designers developing better products for
the benefit of the boating public.
■ To provide continuing education to marine-industry
professionals.
To learn more about
Westlawn, please call (860) 572-7900 or visit the Westlawn website at: www.westlawn.edu.