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Wealth Matters

Seeing a Supersize Yacht as a Job Engine, Not a Self-Indulgence

By Paul Sullivan

• July 25, 2014

DENNIS M. JONES was struck by an intriguing coincidence when he took delivery of his custom-built 164-foot superyacht: The $34 million he paid for it was equal to the $34 million he had donated to charity since 2000. The contributions helped the neediest around St. Louis get an education, get healthy or get a fresh start.

But the money spent on the yacht helped save the shipbuilder and the jobs of the hundreds of people it employed.

Could the purchase of a such a yacht be more than an act of self-indulgence? Could it provide something as significant, Mr. Jones wondered, as the financial aid he has given to children, homeless people, drug addicts and groups that promote education and entrepreneurship?

Mr. Jones, who made his fortune when he sold Jones Pharma, a niche drug company, to King Pharmaceuticals for $3.4 billion in 2000, is under no illusions that a superyacht is an essential item, even for someone in the 0.1 percent.

“It’s a very expensive enterprise,” he said. “It’s the ultimate for people who want the ultimate.”

Yet the yacht he purchased helped save Christensen Yachts, a 30-year-old American yacht builder, whose work force shrank to 75, from 500, after the financial collapse. Beyond improving the leisure time of one very successful man, the yacht Mr. Jones ordered added jobs for people being paid craftsmen wages.

“The company is up and running better because of us,” Mr. Jones said. Today, Christensen has a three-year waiting period for one of its yachts.

When I heard about Mr. Jones’s story, and his willingness to tell it, I was intrigued. Was he just a wealthy man trying to justify spending tens of millions of dollars on a new yacht?

Or was he subtly challenging the billionaires who make a show of signing the Warren Buffett-Bill Gates pledge to give away most of their money to philanthropies during their lifetimes — those who seem almost embarrassed by the lifestyles funded by their enormous fortunes? Wealth is not something to be embarrassed by, Mr. Jones contends; in his view, people should be encouraged to seek it.

Mr. Jones is unabashed about his lifestyle. It is one that could fairly be called lavish. He and his wife, Judy, live in a 31,000-square-foot mansion outside St. Louis. (According to property records, they pay more in property taxes than all but one person in St. Louis.) When they want to cruise on their new yacht, D’Natalin IV, which will spend winters in the Caribbean and summers in Europe, they fly to it, and anywhere else they want to go, on a private jet.

“I retired at 62 after hitting an unbelievable home run, and now we have the great home, the great yacht and the method of getting there,” Mr. Jones, 75, said. “Wherever we go, we have the same level of service.”

Despite this luxury lifestyle, the charities he supports are not the most glamorous ones. He gives to St. Patrick Center , which provides help for homeless people in St. Louis, and Connections to Success , which helps low-income people find jobs and become self-sufficient. Another favorite organization is Junior Achievement because it teaches children about free enterprise.

On Thursday he donated $500,000 to Ranken Technical College to pay for a program that teaches ex-convicts in St. Louis a trade and helps get them a job.

“The one theme throughout is education,” Mr. Jones said of his charitable giving. “I only have a high school degree. It didn’t matter back then, but we have a different society today.”

Mr. Jones said he wanted to encourage other wealthy people to think about how their opulent lifestyles could provide jobs just as their charity helps people in need.

Which is where the 164-foot yacht comes in. After 15 years with a 151-foot Delta, which had room for 12 guests and 10 crew members, the Joneses wanted their own superyacht built from scratch. They chose Christensen Yachts, in Vancouver, Wash., because of its reputation for quality.

What Mr. Jones didn’t realize in early 2013 was how much Christensen Yachts was struggling from the recession. “There were only two other yachts plus ours being built,” he said.

Mr. Jones, who had employed 650 people at Jones Pharma and gave stock options to employees at all levels, liked the idea of his money providing jobs and maybe saving an American company.

Joe F. Foggia, chief executive of Christensen Yachts, does not dispute Mr. Jones’s recollection. His yacht order was a catalyst for others. “We had finished some boats, but the last one we delivered was in the latter part of 2010,” he said.

His business was so slow in 2013 that the company had reorganized itself and branched out into industries like manufacturing wind turbines and making smaller yachts that other companies would sell under their brand.

“Before 2008, no one took any interest in what we were doing,” he said of the residents of the city, which is just across the Columbia River from Portland, Ore. “When we started laying people off, we were viewed as the rich man’s toy box.”

That changed when the economic impact of hundreds of jobless workers was felt in the businesses around the shipyard.

“Ninety-plus percent of the contract price of $34 million goes into payroll, health care, American-made materials, goods, services, local and federal taxes,” Mr. Foggia said. “One boat affects close to 1,000 households nationwide. There are 180 brand-new cars in our yard in the last 18 months.”

Mr. Foggia noted that the flow of money kept going with a boat like D’Natalin IV. “It costs $170,000 a month in crew, insurance, moorage, fuel and the crew buying all their things for the boat,” he said. “It’s a constant cash flow machine for the local economy whenever one of those things pulls in.”

Mr. Jones’s friend and financial adviser, Niall Gannon, said this might sound like trickle-down economics, but he considers it something different. “I’d call it ‘fire hose economics’ because the money left his account that fast,” he said. “It’s out of his account and in the accounts of these 200 people who worked on his yacht.”

The yacht also has a full-time crew of 10. An experienced captain on a ship like this earns $200,000 a year, an engineer about $100,000 and the rest of the crew members can expect to earn from $40,000 to $50,000 — on top of living rent-free on the yacht, said Christian Bakewell, a broker in the superyacht division at Merle Wood & Associates, who oversaw the construction of Mr. Jones’s yacht.

“People see the splashy images of Beyoncé stepping on a yacht,” he said. “What they don’t see is how many people go into building that yacht and maintaining that yacht. Those things get missed, and people fall back to the one percent arguments.”

Still, some people may think Mr. Jones’s purchase is excessive. But Ken Nopar, principal at Nopar Consulting, a philanthropic advisory that helps wealthy people give their money away, disagrees. “If people are spending money, it is creating jobs and providing a way of life,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with it. Without that type of spending there would be a lot more people in need of help from social service agencies.”

And Mr. Nopar pointed out that there was still charitable value in D’Natalin IV: If Mr. Jones tires of it, he can give it to a donor-advised fund, which would sell it and give the money away. In doing so, he would get a break on estate taxes.

For now, Mr. Jones is eager to use his yacht. The maiden voyage lasted 29 days. The next trip is to the Panama Canal with his entire family at Christmas. After that, he plans to open it up to friends, as he has done with previous yachts.

“All of our friends on our yacht have been friends well before Jones Pharma was ever started,” he said. “These are regular working folks just like I was. Having them share in our lifestyle is a way of giving only second to giving to others.”

By SuperyachtNews 18 Jul 2014

Christensen christens 'D'Natalin IV' with owner at Gig Harbour

Christensen yachts has delivered the trideck 48.78m 'd’natalin iv', which significantly, is the first custom series yacht to be delivered by the shipyard since the 2008 global recession.….

Profile links

Christensen Shipyards Ltd

Merle Wood & Associates

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Rich Guy Is Pretty Sure His Megayacht Counts As Philanthropy

Pharmaceutical gazillionaire Dennis M. Jones “was struck by an intriguing coincidence ” upon upgrading his 151-foot yacht to a 164-foot, custom-built yacht named the D’Natalin IV , the Times reports . That coincidence? That the D’Natalin IV ’s $34 million price tag was roughly equivalent to the $34 million he’d given to charity since   2000.

Which got him thinking: $34 million on curing disease and helping the homeless, $34 million on “ high gloss raised panel walnut cabinetry and inlay stone floors ” for a floating mansion. What’s the difference,   really?

No, really, that’s the thought process that went through Jones’s mind, according to the Times .

Could the purchase of a superyacht be more than an act of self-indulgence? Could it provide something as significant, Mr. Jones wondered, as the financial aid he has given to children, homeless people, drug addicts and groups that promote education and entrepreneurship?

The answer to all of those questions, of course, is “hell no, are you crazy?” (In fact, studies have shown the exact opposite — that high-end luxuries like yachts and sports cars actually perpetuate inequality .) But that didn’t stop Jones from rationalizing his Scrooge McDuck lifestyle as an act of charity. He even called in the CEO of Christensen Yachts, which built the boat, to testify about how truly meaningful his order had been to the once-struggling company.

“ It costs $170,000 a month in crew, insurance, moorage, fuel and the crew buying all their things for the boat,” said the CEO . “It’s a constant cash flow machine for the local economy whenever one of those things pulls in.” A friend of Jones’s added, “I’d call it ‘fire hose economics’ because the money left his account that fast.” And Jones himself chimed in with some self-congratulations: “ The [yacht-maker] is up and running better because of   us.”

“ Mr. Jones said he wanted to encourage other wealthy people to think about how their opulent lifestyles could provide jobs just as their charity helps people in need,” the Times   said.

Truly, Jones should be cheered for his selfless act of buying a big-ass boat. Perhaps a Nobel Peace Prize is in order for Kim and Kanye’s wedding , too?

• white men with money
• ok now seriously let's implement full communism

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Photos: Superyacht D’Natalin IV Visits Island

The 164-foot  superyacht   D’Natalin IV  recently paid a visit to St. George’s, giving locals a look at the custom-built vessel, owned by businessman Dennis M. Jones.

Mr. Jones reportedly paid $34 million for the superyacht, representing a small fraction of his multi-billion dollar fortune; according to a  story  in the New York Times, Mr. Jones acquired that wealth when he sold Jones Pharma, a niche drug company, to King Pharmaceuticals for $3.4 billion in 2000.

The story says, “The yacht also has a full-time crew of 10. An experienced captain on a ship like this earns $200,000 a year, an engineer about $100,000 and the rest of the crew members can expect to earn from $40,000 to $50,000 — on top of living rent-free on the yacht, said Christian Bakewell, a broker in the superyacht division at Merle Wood & Associates, who oversaw the construction of Mr. Jones’s yacht.”

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For super yacht, 'fire hose economics' — not trickle-down

• New York Times

Dennis M. Jones was struck by an intriguing coincidence when he received his custom-built 164-foot super yacht: The $34 million he paid for it was equal to the $34 million he had donated to charity since 2000. The contributions helped the neediest around St. Louis get an education, get healthy or get a fresh start.

Could the purchase of a super yacht be more than an act of self-indulgence? Could it provide something as significant, Jones wondered, as the financial aid he has given to children, homeless people, drug addicts and groups that promote education and entrepreneurship?

Jones, who made his fortune when he sold Jones Pharma, a niche drug company, to King Pharmaceuticals for $3.4 billion in 2000, is under no illusions that a super yacht is an essential item, even for someone in the top 0.1 percent.

"It's a very expensive enterprise," he said. "It's the ultimate for people who want the ultimate."

Yet the yacht he purchased helped save Christensen Yachts, a 30-year-old American yacht builder, whose workforce shrank from 500 to 75 after the financial collapse. Beyond improving the leisure time of one very successful man, the yacht Jones ordered added jobs.

"The company is up and running better because of us," Jones said. Today, Christensen has a three-year waiting period for one of its yachts.

Is Jones just a wealthy man trying to justify spending tens of millions of dollars on a new yacht? Or is he subtly challenging the billionaires who make a show of signing the Warren Buffett-Bill Gates pledge to give away most of their money to philanthropies during their lifetimes — those who seem almost embarrassed by the lifestyles funded by their enormous fortunes?

Wealth is not something to be embarrassed by, Jones contends; in his view, people should be encouraged to seek it.

Jones is unabashed about his lifestyle.

He and his wife, Judy, live in a 31,000-square-foot mansion outside St. Louis. When they want to cruise on their new yacht, D'Natalin IV , which will spend winters in the Caribbean and summers in Europe, they fly to it — or anywhere else they want to go — on a private plane.

"I retired at 62 after hitting an unbelievable home run, and now we have the great home, the great yacht and the method of getting there," said Jones, 75. "Wherever we go, we have the same level of service."

Despite this luxury lifestyle, the charities he supports are not the most glamorous ones? He gives to St. Patrick Center, which provides help for homeless people in St. Louis, and Connections to Success, which helps low-income people find jobs and become self-sufficient. Another favorite organization is Junior Achievement because it teaches children about free enterprise.

He donated $500,000 to Ranken Technical College to pay for a program that teaches ex-convicts in St. Louis a trade and helps get them a job.

"The one theme throughout is education," Jones said of his charitable giving. "I only have a high school degree. It didn't matter back then, but we have a different society today."

Jones said he wanted to encourage other wealthy people to think about how their opulent lifestyles could provide jobs just as their charity helps people in need.

That's where the 164-foot yacht comes in. After 15 years with a 151-foot Delta, which had room for 12 guests and 10 crew members, the Joneses wanted to have their own super yacht built from scratch. They chose Christensen Yachts in Vancouver, Wash., because of its reputation for quality and ability to handle a unique hull design.

What Jones didn't realize in early 2013 was how much Christensen Yachts was struggling from the recession. "There were only two other yachts plus ours being built," he said. "I learned all three of them had some financial issues with money to finish them. I came in with money transferred from my brokerage account and this got them out of debt and got the project moving again."

Jones, who had employed 650 people at Jones Pharma and gave stock options to employees at all levels, liked the idea of his money providing jobs and potentially saving an American company.

Joe F. Foggia, Christensen CEO, does not dispute Jones' recollection. His yacht order was a catalyst for others. "We had finished some boats, but the last one we delivered was in the latter part of 2010," he said.

His business was so slow in 2013 that the company had reorganized itself and branched out into other industries like manufacturing wind turbines and making smaller yachts that other companies would sell under their brand.

"Before 2008, no one took any interest in what we were doing," he said of the residents of the city, just across the Columbia River from Portland, Ore. "When we started laying people off, we were viewed as the rich man's toy box."

That changed when the economic impact of hundreds of jobless workers was felt in the businesses around the shipyard.

"Ninety-plus percent of the contract price of $34 million goes into payroll, health care, American-made materials, goods, services, local and federal taxes," Foggia said. "One boat affects close to 1,000 households nationwide. There are 180 brand-new cars in our yard in the last 18 months."

Foggia noted that the flow of money kept going with a boat like D'Natalin IV .

"It costs $170,000 a month in crew, insurance, moorage, fuel and the crew buying all their things for the boat," he said. "It's a constant cash flow machine for the local economy whenever one of those things pulls in."

Jones' friend and financial adviser, Niall Gannon, said this might sound like trickle-down economics, but he considers it something different. "I'd call it 'fire hose economics' because the money left his account that fast," he said. "It's out of his account and in the accounts of these 200 people who worked on his yacht."

The yacht also has a full-time crew of 10. An experienced captain on a ship like this earns $200,000 a year, an engineer about $100,000 and the rest of the crew members can expect to earn from $40,000 to $50,000 — on top of living rent-free on the yacht, said Christian Bakewell, a broker in the super yacht division at Merle Wood & Associates who oversaw the construction of Jones' yacht.

"People see the splashy images of Beyoncé stepping on a yacht," he said. "What they don't see is how many people go into building that yacht and maintaining that yacht. Those things get missed, and people fall back to the 1 percent arguments."

Still, some people might think Jones' purchase is excessive. But Ken Nopar, principal at Nopar Consulting, a philanthropic advisory, disagrees. "If people are spending money, it is creating jobs and providing a way of life," he said. "Without that type of spending, there would be a lot more people in need of help from social service agencies."

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Humongous $200M superyacht arrives in Vancouver

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A 95-metre superyacht priced at $200 million was spotted cruising through False Creek before docking in North Vancouver. 

Attessa V Yacht was built in 2010 by Blohm and Voss, a German shipbuilding and engineering company. It arrived in Vancouver on Tuesday and moved over to a dock in North Vancouver on Wednesday morning.

AV can entertain 24 guests in 12 rooms and has a crew of 33 people. It features a large swimming pool on the deck, a private movie theatre and a jet pool jacuzzi. 

The superyacht was designed by Michael Leach Design and soars in ’speed and style.’

It costs $10 to $20 million per year to run the yacht.

Website SuperYacht.com lists the owner of the AV as Dennis Washington, an 88-year-old American billionaire whose net worth is listed at US$6.4 billion and is ranked number 397 in Forbes' richest people in the world . 

Washington, from Montana, claims to be ‘self-made’ and owns a copper mining, marine transportation and heavy equipment business, according to Forbes. He is married with two children. In an interview with Forbes.com, Washington said his passion is boats. 

Washington’s network of companies includes Washington Marine Group and Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver, where Kyle Washington, Dennis Washington’s son, is executive chairman.

The AV Yacht was previously known as Palladium and is listed as an award-winning superyacht.  It was previously owned by Mikhail Prokhorov, a Russian oligarch and previous owner of the Brooklyn Nets. The yacht drew attention when The Late Show host Stephen Colbert visited Prokhorov on the yacht. 

Superyachts flocking to Vancouver Island

Superyachts flock to B.C. every year. One recently drew attention in B.C.’s capital when a Brazilian billionaire docked in Victoria. 

The 62-metre-long vessel called the Anawa was docked at Ship Point on May 30, clad with its own helicopter on deck. 

Billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann owns the yacht, according to Superfanyacht.com. Forbes.com says the investor-philanthropist lives in Switzerland and is worth $14.8 billion.

Anawa was custom-designed and built in 2020 by Damen Yachting. It’s one of the company’s SeaXplorer class of vessels, billed as “long-range, luxury expedition” yachts.

It can carry 12 guests and 15 crew plus a captain, Damen said.

Back in 2020, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones's yacht was spotted in the  waters off Vancouver Island . The "Bravo Eugenia" is worth an estimated quarter-billion dollars.

The superyacht is designed to use 30 per cent less fuel than other vessels of its size and class but it doesn't skimp on amenities. The "Bravo Eugenia" can accommodate 14 guests and 30 crew members and features six guest suites, a beach lounge, spa and gym.

On Tuesday, the AV Yacht wasn’t the only yacht drawing attention. A 32-metre vessel called the Snowbored was passing through False Creek  with the final destination of Galiano Island. 

The Snowbored, built by Westport in 2003, is a 32-metre vessel with a satin cherry wood interior, and a sundeck sporting a hot tub, wet bar, and lounge pads. It also has a fighting chair and rocket launcher for sport fishing, and can launch a Novurania tender and Yamaha waverunners.

In a statement to Glacier Media, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says anyone wishing to view the Attessa V in Vancouver's inner harbour area by boat "is urged to ensure they do so from a safe distance." "We love seeing boaters and paddlers out enjoying the waters that make up the Port of Vancouver," says Jason Krott, manager of marine operations and fleet. "Our focus is working with all users to build the awareness and understanding needed to support a safe shared space for recreational and commercial traffic."

To see the inside of the AV superyacht, visit the designer's website .  

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Shoe shiner turned billionaire Dennis Washington’s $200 million superyacht Attessa IV is a 300 feet long art deco-styled marvel with Gucci chairs, a one-of-a-kind chandelier, a spectacular spa, and a helipad.

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Photos: Dennis Jones’ former Ladue mansion sells for $5.68 million

ST. LOUIS BUSINESS JOURNAL -- A six-bedroom, 14-bath Ladue mansion has sold for $5.68 million, nearly half of the original asking price for the estate.

The Business Journal previously reported the home hit the market with a price tag of $10.75 million. The property is the former home of the late Dennis Jones, who died in 2016, and his wife, Judy Jones .

Dennis Jones sold his business, Jones Pharma, for $3.4 billion in 2000. Judy Jones bought a $4.5 million Clayton Penthouse in 2017, according to previous Business Journal reporting.

Summer Bay Inns L.C. purchased the estate from the Dennis M. Jones Sr. Trust. Joe Scott Sr., owner and CEO of Scott Properties, is the registered agent for Summer Bay Inns. The deal closed in March, according to St. Louis County real estate records, which show the home has an appraised value of $8.54 million.

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Maui Yacht Owner: ‘I Didn’t Know What I Was Getting Into’

Jim Jones says he wants to make things right, but former employees and Maui residents say he shouldn't have a boat.

Jim Jones says he wants to make things right, but former employees and Maui residents say he shouldn’t have a boat.

The owner of a luxury yacht that ran aground last month in Honolua Bay is trying to salvage his reputation as efforts continue this week to remove his 94-foot Sunseeker from a delicate reef off Maui.

“We are taking full responsibility for this,” Noelani Yacht Charters owner Jim Jones said Thursday. “We’re not running.”

That assurance may not be enough to persuade Maui politicians, community advocates and local mariners who say he shouldn’t stay in business at all. Several of his former workers have said he repeatedly ignored state boating regulations and skirted recommended safety practices, to the point where multiple people who worked with Jones said they quit because of risky behavior.

“He shouldn’t be allowed to have a boat,” a former worker said, speaking on the condition of anonymity .

Jones said he started out with a dream to buy a boat. A woodworker by trade, he began looking for one a few years ago around Honolulu and first set his eyes on a 65-footer — a “big monster boat.”

But his friend, a boat captain, cautioned him against getting one so big for his first vessel. Plus, harbors to store boats of that size are scarce in Hawaii. Where would he put it?

So Jones kept looking until 2020, when he settled on what he thought was the perfect opportunity: a 74-foot yacht that came with its own slip in Kewalo Basin Harbor. It had been used for charters in the past, and by renting it out in the future, Jones hoped it would pay for itself. The owner agreed to let him pay it off over time, sealing the deal.

In the height of the pandemic, Jones began pouring his resources into marketing and establishing a “luxury yacht image,” equipped with private chefs, bartenders and local musicians. 

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what I was getting into. I just figured it was something to pay the bills,” Jones said. “And then once this thing took off, we’re going, ‘Holy shit.’”

Now Jones is trying to assure government officials and the community that he will cover the cost of a nearly $500,000 salvage job .

On Feb. 20, Jones said he was on a family outing, spending the weekend in Honolua Bay, when his mooring line failed while attached to a mooring that’s only allowed to be used for two hours at a time.

The Nakoa, a 94-foot yacht that Jones said he brought to Hawaii in December, ended up drifting onto the reef. By the next day, the hull had been punctured, and diesel fuel spilled into the water leading into one of Maui’s most beloved marine sanctuaries . 

In the days that followed, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources announced that it was putting up $460,000 to try to haul the 120-ton yacht away. But after unsuccessful attempts and delays because of stormy weather, the yacht remained on Thursday evening.

DLNR officials said earlier this week that the salvage ship Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine, will return to Maui on Friday or Saturday. 

“We’ve been talking to the DLNR to let them know we’re not leaving them with the bill,” Jones said.

Jones said he was working with his insurance company to cover the cost. Asked to provide a copy of his coverage, he declined, citing the current investigation into the incident. He said he didn’t know the specifics of his insurance policy or how much it covered. 

“I feel his actions were extremely irresponsible,” said Maui County Council member Tamara Paltin, who has long fought to protect Honolua Bay. “I don’t think he fully understands how special a place Honolua is to so many of us and just how much aggravation he has caused our community.” 

As Jones works with attorneys, insurance agents and the state, he said he’s also determined to make amends with the Maui community and work to restore his company’s reputation. Since the incident in Honolua, he said he’s continued to run charters on his Oahu-based yacht, the Noelani, which will help him pay the debts he owes. 

But the Noelani has its own history of problems. The boat caught fire in Kewalo Basin Harbor in October, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.

Asked about the incident, Jones said the fire broke out in a guest suite, just as he was flying out of state to purchase the Nakoa. He blamed the fire on incandescent light bulbs that are common in older boats. Fortunately, he said, the Honolulu Fire Department responded and contained the fire from spreading out of the room. 

“When I first got a boat, my friends were telling me, ‘No, don’t get a boat; it’s nonstop problems,’” Jones said. “There’s constantly stuff going on.”

But mariners interviewed by Civil Beat say fires aren’t one of the nonstop problems boat owners regularly face.

“I can’t think of a reported fire incident in Maalaea Harbor in the 40 years I’ve been here,” said Michael Wildberger, a captain on Maui who’s run thousands of snorkel tours.

Catering To The Jet Set

After buying his first yacht in 2020, Jones said he quickly realized that catering to the ultra-wealthy in search of day trips on megayachts was an untapped market in Hawaii. High-end hotels were looking for luxury activities to send their clients on, Jones said.

In his marketing strategy, he made it clear: Noelani Yacht Charters wasn’t a basic fishing or snorkeling charter. His website advertises trips on Maui starting at $9,800 . 

“We cater to these guys that are flying in on their private jets,” Jones said. 

For almost two years, Jones grew his business with the Noelani, until he found an investor willing to help him acquire the Nakoa, the vessel that ran aground last month.

At first, Jones said he thought the investor would pay the transportation costs to have the Nakoa sent to Hawaii from overseas. When the investor suddenly said he wouldn’t cover that cost, Jones said he put up the money for the transport, which meant he missed out on paying almost $290,000 for the final payment he owed for the Noelani.

He was later sued for not making that payment, as well as failing to pay back $100,000 he borrowed from another person to pay for the Noelani.

Jones downplayed the lawsuits, calling them mutual agreements and “just records of the payment plans that we’ve created.”

With the Nakoa, Jones dreamed of expanding his business to allow multinight charters to Maui, where he planned to whisk clients away to snorkel trips around Molokini or head over to Hulopoe Bay on Lanai. He said he discovered Honolua Bay during trips on the Noelani, describing it as a place he couldn’t believe he could visit with a yacht of that size. 

Jones said he took his family to Honolua for a holiday weekend last month, and tied up at the mooring that’s only supposed to be used for two hours at a time. Asked if he was aware of the rule, Jones said was never informed of it by the Coast Guard or DLNR but had been “getting flak from day one” from Maui tour companies in the bay. 

“When you have the same company coming in, they’re switching boats every two hours,” he said. “What’s the difference of that versus us just staying there?”

It’s not the only law that community members have complained about Noelani Yacht Charters allegedly violating.

A month before the Nakoa ran aground, Tina Wildberger, South Maui’s former state lawmaker, wrote to DLNR about a dinghy shuttling passengers between the yacht and Kihei Boat Ramp, which she said isn’t allowed without a permit.

“There’s some serious high end pirate action happening here with these yachts,” Wildberger said in her January email to DLNR. “Does this vessel have a special permit to pick up passengers at Kihei Boat Ramp today?”

The next day, Wildberger got her answer: The boat didn’t have a special permit. 

Jones said he often stopped at Kihei Boat Ramp to make crew runs, including going to Ace Hardware. He denied picking up passengers though. He said that he doesn’t have a commercial permit for the Nakoa, but that he operates his business in a way that allows him to get around that. 

“That’s a whole other gray area,” Jones said.

His first boat, the Noelani, has a commercial permit. But Jones said he ran the Nakoa with a workaround called “bareboat charters.” That means that he rents the boat out to people without providing any crew. Instead, he can suggest when they rent the boat that the clients hire the crew that he’s vetted ahead of time. It’s a business model that’s popular among yacht rental businesses.

For now, Jones said he’ll keep running tours on the Noelani out of Oahu while charting his next steps. He’s hoping to find a replacement for the Nakoa and continue his expansion to Maui — if residents will have him.

“I’m hoping that we can meet everybody personally, to apologize to them face to face — let them know that and show them that I am local,” Jones said. “I think once we talk, they’ll realize I’m just like them.”

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by grants from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation and the Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation.

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Seeing a Supersize Yacht as a Job Engine, Not a Self-Indulgence

DENNIS M. JONES was struck by an intriguing coincidence when he took delivery of his custom-built 164-foot superyacht: The $34 million he paid for it was equal to the $34 million he had donated to charity since 2000. The contributions helped the neediest around St. Louis get an education, get healthy or get a fresh start.

But the money spent on the yacht helped save the shipbuilder and the jobs of the hundreds of people it employed.

Could the purchase of a such a yacht be more than an act of self-indulgence? Could it provide something as significant, Mr. Jones wondered, as the financial aid he has given to children, homeless people, drug addicts and groups that promote education and entrepreneurship?

Mr. Jones, who made his fortune when he sold Jones Pharma, a niche drug company, to King Pharmaceuticals for $3.4 billion in 2000, is under no illusions that a superyacht is an essential item, even for someone in the 0.1 percent.

“It’s a very expensive enterprise,” he said. “It’s the ultimate for people who want the ultimate.”

Yet the yacht he purchased helped save Christensen Yachts, a 30-year-old American yacht builder, whose work force shrank to 75, from 500, after the financial collapse. Beyond improving the leisure time of one very successful man, the yacht Mr. Jones ordered added jobs for people being paid craftsmen wages.

“The company is up and running better because of us,” Mr. Jones said. Today, Christensen has a three-year waiting period for one of its yachts.

When I heard about Mr. Jones’s story, and his willingness to tell it, I was intrigued. Was he just a wealthy man trying to justify spending tens of millions of dollars on a new yacht?

Or was he subtly challenging the billionaires who make a show of signing the Warren Buffett-Bill Gates pledge to give away most of their money to philanthropies during their lifetimes — those who seem almost embarrassed by the lifestyles funded by their enormous fortunes? Wealth is not something to be embarrassed by, Mr. Jones contends; in his view, people should be encouraged to seek it.

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Dennis Sanchez Jones Jr.

1942 - 2024

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Dennis Jones Obituary

Dennis Sanchez Jones, Jr., 82, of Crofton, MD , died unexpectedly on March 4, 2024. Known to his family as "D" he was born in Portsmouth, VA, on February 26, 1942, to the late Dennis S. Jones, Sr., and Elizabeth Manning Jones. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his ex-wife and mother of his children, Martha B. Hague, with whom he maintained a close friendship. Dennis is survived by his children, Allison MacDonald Scopelliti, Laura Jones, Adrianne (Jones) Gruner, Matthew Jones, and Kaitlin Hague, whom he cherished as his own. He will also be deeply missed by his sister, Denise (Jones) Werner-Hansen; brother, Jack R. Jones; and his four adored grandchildren, Isaiah, Emmett, Elliott, and Nathan. Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate Dennis' life at the Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD , on Saturday, March 30, from 1 to 3, with a time for sharing and remembrances at 1:30. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.KalasFuneralHomes.com .

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Governor Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments 9.3.21

Published: Sep 03, 2021

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his nomination of Judge Victor A. Rodriguez as Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Three. The Governor also announced his appointment of 22 Superior Court Judges, which include two in Contra Costa County; six in Los Angeles County; one in Madera County; one in Monterey County; two in Orange County; three in Riverside County; two in San Diego County; one in San Mateo County; three in Santa Clara County; and one in Solano County.

First District Court of Appeal

Judge Victor A. Rodriguez, 46, of Oakland, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Three. He has served as a Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Rodriguez served as Supervising Staff Attorney for the Honorable Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar at the California Supreme Court from 2015 to 2018, where he served as Judicial Staff Attorney for the Honorable Carlos R. Moreno, Goodwin H. Liu and Carol A. Corrigan from 2006 to 2015. He served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Consuelo B. Marshall at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California from 2005 to 2006. Judge Rodriguez was a Skadden Fellow at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund from 2003 to 2005. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from California State University, Long Beach. Judge Rodriguez fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Teri L. Jackson as Presiding Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Five. This position requires the completion of a review by the State Bar’s Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation and confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. The Commission consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice J. Anthony Kline. Judge Rodriguez is a Democrat.

The compensation for this position is $256,138.

Contra Costa County Superior Court

Kirk J. Athanasiou, 45, of Berkeley, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Athanasiou has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office since 2006. He served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Tulare County Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2006. Athanasiou earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John H. Sugiyama. Athanasiou is a Democrat.

Jennifer D. Lee, 51, of Alameda, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Lee has served as a Court Commissioner at the Contra Costa County Superior Court since 2019. She was Security Counsel at Apple Inc. from 2018 to 2019. Lee served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 2006 to 2018, as a Deputy City Attorney at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 2002 to 2006 and as a Deputy Public Defender at the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office from 2001 to 2002. She served as a Staff Attorney at Legal Aid of Marin in 2000 and as a Deputy Public Defender at the Centre County, PA Public Defender’s Office from 1997 to 1999. Lee earned a Juris Doctor degree from Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the removal of Judge John T. Laettner. Lee is a Democrat.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Ramiro P. Cisneros, 53, of Eastvale, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Cisneros has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office since 2001. He was an Associate at Parker Stanbury LLP from 1999 to 2001. Cisneros earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Southwestern University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge William A. MacLaughlin. Cisneros is a Democrat.

E. Carlos Dominguez, 42, of Studio City, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Dominguez has served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 2009. He was an Associate at Rutan & Tucker LLP from 2005 to 2008. In 2021, Dominguez served as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Southern California School of Law. Dominguez earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Irma J. Brown. Dominguez is a Democrat.

Benjamin P. Hernandez-Stern, 40, of Washington, D.C., has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Hernandez-Stern has served as Counsel for the Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security since 2019. He served as an Attorney in the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Civil Rights from 2014 to 2019 and as Special Counsel in the Office for Access to Justice at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2016 to 2017. Hernandez-Stern also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia from 2013 to 2014 and was Acting Associate Deputy Director for Enforcement and Special Assistant to the Deputy Director for Enforcement and Regional Operations in the Enforcement Division at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, from 2012 to 2013. He served as a Regulatory and Civil Rights Analyst in the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights from 2010 to 2012 and was an Associate at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson from 2008 to 2009. He has served as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S Air Force Reserve since 2014. Hernandez-Stern also served as Judge Advocate in the California Air National Guard from 2009 to 2014. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School and a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He fills the vacancy created by the death of Judge Victor E. Chavez. Hernandez-Stern is a Democrat.

Abraham C. Meltzer, 55, of Glendale, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Meltzer has served as a Deputy Chief at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California since 2018, where he has also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2004. He served as Counsel at the California State University, Office of General Counsel from 2000 to 2004 and an Associate at Irell & Manella LLP from 1997 to 2000. Meltzer served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 1995 to 1997. He was an Associate at Nossaman LLP from 1994 to 1997 and at Fulbright & Jaworski from 1992 to 1994. Meltzer earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ray A. Santana. Meltzer is registered without party preference.

Reginald L. Neal, 54, of View Park-Windsor Hills, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Neal has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 2008. He served as a Deputy Attorney at the California Department of Transportation from 2006 to 2008 and was an Associate Insurance Compliance Officer at the California Department of Insurance from 2001 to 2005. Neal earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Pacific Coast University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gilbert Lopez. Neal is a Democrat.

Tara L. Newman, 46, of Pasadena, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Newman has served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 2008. She was a Sole Practitioner from 2006 to 2008 and an Associate at Ivie McNeill & Wyatt from 2003 to 2006. Newman was an Associate at Buchalter, Nemer, Fields & Younger from 1999 to 2003. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha to the Federal Court. Newman is a Democrat.

Madera County Superior Court

Sosi Chitakian Vogt, 53, of Fresno, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Madera County Superior Court. Vogt has served as a Court Commissioner at the Madera County Superior Court since 2020. She was Appointed Counsel at Madera Alternate Defense in 2019 and an Associate at Wapner Jones PC from 2016 to 2018. Vogt was an Associate at Sawl Law Group from 2009 to 2015 and a Contract Attorney at the Fresno County Public Defender’s Office from 2003 to 2009. She was Corporate Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the American Division at Anderson Clayton Queensland Cotton from 2001 to 2003, a Deputy District Attorney at the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office from 1998 to 2001 and an Associate at Richard A. Ciummo and Associates from 1996 to 1998. Vogt earned a Juris Doctor degree from the San Joaquin College of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Joseph A. Soldani. Vogt is a Republican.

Monterey County Superior Court

Jared A. Jefferson, 37, of Salinas, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Monterey County Superior Court. Jefferson has served as a Chief Deputy Public Defender at the Monterey County Public Defender’s Office since 2021, where he has served in several positions since 2015. He was a Defense Attorney at Alternate Defense Office from 2014 to 2015 and a Deputy Public Defender at the Fresno County Public Defender’s Office from 2011 to 2014. Jefferson served as a Volunteer Attorney at the Monterey County Public Defender’s Office from 2010 to 2011. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Susan J. Matcham. Jefferson is a Democrat.

Orange County Superior Court

Vibhav Mittal, 39, of Yorba Linda, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Mittal has served as a Deputy Chief at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California since 2019, where he has also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2011. He was a Field Organizer and Campaign Fellow for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2010. Mittal served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Amul R. Thapar at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky from 2009 to 2010. Mittal was an Associate at Quinn Emanuel LLP from 2008 to 2009. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the New York University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ronald L. Bauer. Mittal is a Democrat.

Scott M. Van Camp, 49, of Huntington Beach, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Van Camp has served as a Court Commissioner at the Orange County Superior Court since 2019. He served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office from 2018 to 2019 and as a Senior Deputy Public Defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office from 1999 to 2018. Van Camp earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Pepperdine University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John D. Conley. Van Camp is a Democrat.

Riverside County Superior Court

Sean P. Crandell, 48, of Temecula, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Riverside County Superior Court. Crandell has served as a Senior Deputy District Attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office since 2014, where he has served in several positions since 1996, including Deputy District Attorney and Law Clerk. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. He fills the vacancy of a new position created on September 24, 2019. Crandell is a Democrat.

Joshua A. Knight, 44, of Murrieta, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Riverside County Superior Court. Knight has served as an Attorney at the Riverside County Public Defender’s Office since 2007. He served as an Attorney at the Kern County Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2007. Knight earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oregon School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Rebecca L. Dugan. Knight is registered without party preference.

Marie Elena Wood, 45, of Murrieta, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Riverside County Superior Court. Wood has been a Shareholder at Reid & Hellyer APC since 2021, where she was an Associate from 2016 to 2020. She was a Sole Practitioner from 2015 to 2016 and a Partner at James & Wood LLP from 2014 to 2015. Wood was an Associate at Fabozzi & Miller APC from 2010 to 2014. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Wood fills the vacancy of a new position created on September 24, 2019. She is a Democrat.

San Diego County Superior Court

Marissa A. Bejarano, 42, of Chula Vista, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Bejarano has served as a Community Partnership Prosecutor at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 2019, where she has also served as a Deputy District Attorney since 2014. She served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2006 to 2013. Bejarano earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Truc T. Do to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Bejarano is a Democrat.

Daniel Segura, 52, of Temecula, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Segura has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office since 1995. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jeffrey B. Barton. Segura is a Democrat.

San Mateo County Superior Court

Renee C. Reyna, 40, of Belmont, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Mateo County Superior Court. Reyna has served as a Court Commissioner at the San Mateo County Superior Court since 2019. She served as a Senior Attorney at the California Supreme Court from 2016 to 2019 and as a Staff Attorney at the San Mateo County Superior Court from 2010 to 2016. Reyna was an Attorney at Summit Defense in 2010 and at the Offices of Mark A. Berg from 2006 to 2010. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. Reyna fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Richard H. DuBois. She is a Democrat.

Santa Clara County Superior Court

Brian J. Buckelew, 48, of San Jose, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Buckelew has served as Supervising Deputy District Attorney at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office since 2018, where he has served as a Deputy District Attorney since 2013. He served as an Assistant District Attorney at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office from 2007 to 2013 and was an Associate at Williams & Connolly LLP from 2001 to 2006. Buckelew served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Pasco M. Bowman II at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit from 2000 to 2001 and was an Associate at Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering LLP from 1999 to 2000. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michele McCoy. Buckelew is a Democrat.

Shella Deen, 56, of San Jose, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Deen has been a Shareholder at Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel Inc. since 1998, where she has held several positions since 1991, including Firmwide Litigation Chair. She was a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales at Terence St. J. Millett, Solicitors from 1986 to 1989. Deen earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Buckingham. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Joshua Weinstein. Deen is a Democrat.

Rafael A. Sivilla-Jones, 54, of Santa Clara, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Sivilla-Jones has served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 2001. He served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender at the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Tennessee from 1999 to 2001 and as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 1992 to 1998. Sivilla-Jones earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Edward F. Lee. Sivilla-Jones is a Democrat.

Solano County Superior Court

Janice M. Williams, 61, of Vacaville, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Solano County Superior Court. Williams has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Solano County District Attorney’s Office since 1994. She served as Contracted Program Director of the Family Violence Unit at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office from 1993 to 1994 and was a Sole Practitioner from 1991 to 1993. Williams earned a Juris Doctor degree from the New College of California School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Robert C. Fracchia. Williams is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $223,829.