Meet Doug Zurn, one of our honorees on Sept. 12

What does Doug Zurn have to do with Billy Joel? Read on.

Doug Zurn is an internationally recognized yacht designer whose passion for boating began right here at home on the shores of Lake Erie.

As the founder and principal of Zurn Yacht Design in Marblehead, Massachusetts, he has built a reputation for creating elegant, high-performance sailing and power yachts that blend innovation with timeless design. After graduating with honors from the Westlawn School of Yacht Design and apprenticing under several of the industry's leading designers, Zurn established his own firm and went on to design numerous award-winning vessels for clients around the world.

He collaborated with prominent boatbuilders and notable clients, including musician Billy Joel, whose Shelter Island 38 Runabout helped bring widespread attention to his work in the 1990s. 

His passion for boating started in Erie as the son of the late Frank Zurn and Susan Frying Zurn. Frank was the long-term chairman of Zurn Industries. Doug's siblings include Karen Zurn, Peter Zurn, Heidi Williams, and the late Lisa Zurn Victor.