Andy first set sail before he could walk, sailing on his father’s Tartan 10 out of Montrose Harbor. He’s been addicted ever since. Andy grew up racing a mixture of keelboats and one design dinghies throughout Chicago and the Midwest, twice winning the Midwest Junior Sailor of the Year award. He continued sailing in college with the University of Rhode Island sailing team.

After returning to Chicago, Andy spent a few years working a traditional office job and sailing on the weekends. It wasn’t long, though, before his passion for sailing drew him out of the office into the industry. He pursued Quantum Sails because of their forward thinking and strong racing record.

Andy is passionate about helping sailors get the most out of their boats, whether racing or cruising. Of working with Quantum, he says, “Quantum has a great record of promoting the sport of sailing. I look forward to working with the company to grow the sport in Chicago.”

Andy continues to enjoy an avid sailing career in Chicago and can be found on the lake almost any day of the week. He currently owns a Vanguard 15, but can also be found on a number of boats, including Tartan 10s, J/70s, Beneteau 36.7s, and Beneteau 40.7s.

Sam Keys grew up sailing on Green Bay and northern Lake Michigan. His dad, a racer, took Sam along when he was a kid, and he’s been sailing ever since. He followed in his father’s footsteps and started racing. He discovered a passion for shorthanded distance racing, and has earned quite the reputation as a competitor, including a 2015 sweep of the Solo Port Huron to Mackinac Challenge as the first to finish, first in class, and first overall.

Sam knew in high school that he wanted a career in the marine industry. He attended the Great Lakes Boatbuilding School in Cedarville, Michigan and did yacht maintenance and restoration for some highly-respected companies. “I love working on boats and being around boats,” said Sam. “When boat building and repair jobs were getting scarce, a sailmaking job came about and I jumped on it in order to stay in the field.”

That started six years of sail making, which led to work as the production manager at another sail loft. With his sailing and marine trade background, Sam is more than qualified to provide sail modification, service, and consultation to the Chicago and southern Lake Michigan communities. As the Service Manger at Quantum Sails Chicago, Sam strives to produce the best products possible while providing top-quality service, saying the support from he receives from the company, along with the high quality of products they produce, make that possible.