Jeff Johnston Joins Octane Marine
Marine industry veteran Jeff Johnston has joined Octane Marine as the Phoenix-based Sea Ray dealership’s sales and marketing director. Johnston started at the company—the exclusive dealer in Arizona for the iconic 66-year-old powerboat brand—this week.
Jeff Johnston is now the sales and marketing director for Octane Marine.
“I am excited about this new direction in my career,” said Johnston, who is 45 years old and lives just five miles from the dealership with his nine-year-old son, Dylan. “And I’m honored that Octane Marine owner Charlie Brown has given me this opportunity.”
Though Octane Marine is best-known for its successful relationship with the Brunswick Corporation-owned Sea Ray Boats line, the company is a certified authorized dealer for Mercury Marine/Mercury Racing—both of which fall under the Brunswick corporate umbrella. In addition to Sea Ray sales, Octane offers service and maintenance—as well as gelcoat and outdrive repair—across the spectrum of recreational and high-performance powerboat brands and has 84 storage units on site.
Octane Marine is Sea Ray’s exclusive dealer in Arizona.
The dealership also carries pre-owned boats from every segment of the powerboat market.
Johnston began his marine industry career selling adverting for Powerboat magazine after graduating San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in business. By the time he departed the publication in 2007 for the director of sales and marketing role at Hering Propellers in Marysville, Wash., he had become Powerboat’s national advertising sales manager.
Johnston remained with Hering until 2014 when he joined DCB Racing, then located in El Cajon, Calif., where he had worked part-time during college.
Octane Marine offers services for powerboats—including high-performance models—of all kinds.
Johnston eventually became the president and part-owner of the company—now DCB Performance Marine—before it changed its name and relocated to Phoenix. He parted ways with DCB in early January. His departure was not widely publicized and the details of his exit are not available.
Octane Marine recently took on the Navan Boats line, which also is owned by Brunswick. Johnston said the dealership also hopes to add a center-console line in the near future, though the brand has yet to be decided.
Said Johnston, a lifelong powerboat enthusiast, “I am excited about this new direction in my career.”
A Phoenix native and longtime powerboat owner, Brown bought the property and built the expansive dealership after retiring from the city’s fire department. He and Johnston have known each other for years.
“Charlie has an amazing work ethic and a heart of gold,” Johnston said. “He is one of the most sincere and genuine people I know, and I am looking forward to playing a role in the ongoing success of Octane Marine. It’s a great match.”
Brown and Johnston will host a Spring Kick-Off Open House next Saturday, March 15 at the facility.”
Jeff and Dylan Johnston were on hand for the 2023 unveiling of the Mercury Racing 500R outboard engine n Charleston, S.C. Photo by Tom Leigh copyright Tommy Gun Images.
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