Sean Portle Web Developer/IT Team Resides: Chandler, AZStarted with POP Yachts: July 2012Q. Have you spent much time around boats in your lifetime?My time around boats didn't begin until I was 18. My favorite memories are cruising around the Chain O Lakes in Northern Illinois and spending time with my family in Michigan at my uncle's lake house. My uncle has a 18' Rinker that he would take my cousins out on. After being dragged on a tube all day, I remember waking up with incredibly sore arms and thinking I can't wait to do that again.Q. What do you do for POP Yachts? I am part of the web development/IT team. My most recent project was working on the new POP Yachts website, which we are constantly improving in an effort to give the best web experience in the industry. I am also working on the new POP RVs website. I am very excited to be working this site and can't wait for everyone to see it!Q. What do you think gives POP Yachts the competitive advantage? Two things. One, we are a company filled with incredibly motivated people. We eat, sleep, breathe POP Yachts in an effort to give the customer the very best experience. The amount of individual hours logged day in and day out is massive. Two, our technology is second to none. The IT team is very much in tune with the needs of our managers, sales associates and listing representatives, providing them with tools they need to be more efficient at their job. When you have very motivated people working efficiently with state-of-the-art technology, it is no surprise that POP Yachts is the best boat broker in the world.Q. How have you seen POP Yachts grow over the past three years? The company has grown leaps and bounds in the 3 years I have been here. I have seen company records broken again and again, from sales completed to listings published, the list goes on and on. I have seen some of the staff reach Wall of Fame status. Year by year, the company has gotten bigger and better and there are no signs of slowing down. We even got the distinction of making the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list. This is all a testament to the hard work and motivation of our experienced staff.Q. What is it about POP Yachts as a company that keeps you on board?I love being part of something big. The ambition in the company is contagious and I want to do all I can to help take us to the next level. As a company, we always believe we can get better and that trickled down to me in that I am always trying to become a better programmer. I also love the creative freedoms I am given in writing code and web design. That freedom makes my job fun and unique everyday.Q. What would people be surprised to learn about you?I love metal...thrash metal, metalcore, speed metal, heavy metal...metal! Once I flew solo to New York City just to see the "Big Four" play a concert at Yankee Stadium.Q. What do you do in your spare time?Watching my Chicago Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks and Cubs, playing video games (currently playing the Last of Us) and reading (currently reading The Name of the Wind). That is, when I'm not chasing around my 1 year old son :)When asked "Why are the skills and what Sean does so valuable to POP Yachts?" Sean's direct supervisor Nicholas Owens stated:"To say that Sean is an indispensable asset would be an understatement. Sean's work over the last 3 years at POP has been integral to who we are today. In a world where one could easily fall behind, Sean continues to take on new challenges, learning more along the way.""If you like our new website, that's all Sean. You're going to love his work on the new RVs website!"