Integrity and a Sense of Adventure

A successful floor hardware manufacturer in Taipei, Alex Chueh, had a reputation for high integrity and exacting quality.  After loaning seed money to a friend for a boa manufacturing yard, Alex's life took an unexpected turn.

When the friend couldn't repay the loan, he asked Alex to accept the yard as payment instead.  Upon inspection of the operation, Alex saw that his own passion for high quality and his superior business experience could create a wonderful future in building fine motor yachts.

Alex Chueh became determined to be the finest yacht builder in the world and began gathering knowledge that would lead him to his goal.

A Legacy of Naval Architecture

Half a world away in Seattle, naval architect, Ed Monk, Jr. had grown up with a single-minded passion to design boats.  Since the 1920's, the thousands of boats designed by his father had become prized for their looks, their live-aboard comfort  and uncanny ability to navigate rough and dangerous waters between California and Alaska.

Ed's degree in Industrial Design from the University of Washington and his professional credentials as a naval architect led him to realize "I had been quietly trained by my father all my young life."  In fact, he had worked as a draftsman and designer for both pleasure and commercial crafts up to 100 feet long for many years.  Although young, Ed's work was already a generation beyond his peers.

In 1978, through a mutual acquaintance, Alex Chueh and Ed Monk, Jr. met on Bainbridge Island, Washington.  Each man was obsessed with his dream of building the finest craft the world had seen, and it was only natural they should combine their talents: remarkable design and exceptional manufacturing ability.

A Second Generation

Today Alex's son, John Chueh, continues the company's long partnership with Ed Monk, Jr.  "I grew up in a boating family," says John.  "We owned an Ocean Alexander 48', and I also enjoyed sailing, surfing and windsurfing.  Our dinner table conversations were often about boats, the market, the individuals, products and competitors.  Above all, we learned integrity and character from my parents - to treat people fairly in life.  If you are fair to others, then everything will take care of itself."

John studied economics at the University of Chicago and considered an academic career in organizational behavior, but wanted real-world experience first.  After working with a business consultancy, he decided some "hands-on" experience at Ocean Alexander was a good segue to graduate studies.  I was having so much fun and experiencing so many new things that I guess, short term has turned out to be eight years now, and there's still so much to learn and experience, said John.  Under John's energetic leadership, Ocean Alexander is expanding the line and increasing production to meet the new challengers of taking Ocean Alexander to the new millennium.