Meet The Team


Christopher Birch, Founder

617-723-4900 / chris@birchmarine.com

Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Education: University of Wisconsin, Madison | BA Geography
Years of service at BMI: 38
Prior to working at BMI: Chris Worked as a yacht captain and yacht charter fleet manager. He has logged thousands of miles sailing a wide variety of boats from Canada to the Caribbean and many places in between.
When not at work: Chris is never at work these days. He and his wife headed out sailing for a few years aboard their 36' Morris Justine, Sundance. You can follow their voyage online at Eagle Seven Sailing: www.eaglesevensailing.com
Fun fact: Chris serves as an Contributing Editor at SAIL Magazine and authors the Boston Harbor Currents column in Points East Magazine.


Alex Yakimovets, President / Owner

617-723-4900 / alex@birchmarine.com

Hometown: Khabarovsk, Russia
Education: Russian College of Economics and Law
Years of service at BMI: 12
Prior to working at BMI: Alex worked as a bicycle repairman, a computer technician and an adventurer in the Amur River Wilderness in the Far East of Russia.
When not at work: Alex enjoys foraging for mushrooms, ferns, apples and other eatable things in East Boston. He claims world class mushrooms can be found under a certain tree near the Airport Hyatt.
Fun facts: Alex once cycled across Mongolia. Alex also once travelled over a thousand miles around the Kamchatka Peninsula in a boat small enough to fit in the trunk of a car. Alex currently lives aboard his C&C 36 in Boston Harbor with his wife and their 5 year old son. They have cruised together as a family from Maine to the Bahamas.


Addison Harper, Yacht Maintenance Technician

617-723-4900 / Addison@birchmarine.com

Hometown: Keller, TX
Education: Texas Christian University | Studied music for 2 years; InventiveLabs 1 year Entrepreneurship Program.
Years of service at BMI: 2
Prior to working at BMI: Addison was building boats at a semi-custom boat builder and then helped maintain a fleet of sail and power boats at a local, non-profit sailing organization .
When not at work: Addison likes to snowboard, fish and most of all race sailboats. He has raced across the Atlantic and you can find him any weekend racing somewhere along the east coast.
Fun fact: From table runners and floor mats to coasters and tack boards, Addison likes to repurpose wine corks into unique pieces of useable art.


Greg MacIver, Yacht Maintenance Technician

617-723-4900 / Greg@birchmarine.com

Hometown: Hingham, MA
Education: University of Maine | BS Parks Recreation and Tourism
Years of service at BMI: 1
Prior to working at BMI: Greg was fiberglassing and building boats at a boatyard in Northern California.
When not at work: Greg likes bringing new life to old boats. He previously restored a Santana 27 in California and is currently restoring a Thistle.
Fun fact: Before sailboats, Greg was a sea kayak guide and instructor in Maine and California.


Jenny Hogan, Operations Manager

617-723-4900 / jenny@birchmarine.com

Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA
Education: University of Vermont | BA Sociology & Psychology
Years of service at Birch Marine: 4
Prior to working at Birch Marine: Jenny worked for Tenacity, an after school tennis and literacy program in Boston. She also nannied for a wonderful family in Brookline for many years.
When not at work: Jenny enjoys yoga, photography, cycling, camping and pond hockey.
Fun fact: Jenny played ice hockey for the UVM Catamounts and has hiked to the top of Half Dome.