Lynden is recognizing employees who make a difference every day on the job and demonstrate our core values, Lynden's very own everyday heroes! Employees are nominated by managers and supervisors from all roles within the Lynden family of companies.
Introducing Brian Ekstrand, Captain at Bering Marine in Anchorage, Alaska. 
Name: Brian Ekstrand
Company: Bering Marine Corporation
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Title: Captain
On the Job Since: 2001
Superpower: Leadership
Hometown: Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood
Favorite Movie: Caddyshack
Bucket List Destination: Galapagos Islands
For Fun: Travel, family BBQs
How and when did you start working for Bering Marine/Lynden?
I was a fisherman working out of Dutch Harbor in the crab industry, and it was a tough job. When a friend told me there was an AB job available, I jumped at the chance to try something new. AB means able seaman which is the coast guard term for a deckhand. It's the first license you can test for when you start sailing. I was hired by Bering Marine as a cook and deckhand in 2001, then became a mate. From 2009 to 2016 I was the captain of the Sam M Taalak, then I became captain of the landing craft Nunaniq near the Yukon River.
What is a typical day like for you?
A typical day on the job is planning for the next port such as checking weather and tides. Also looking at different types of cargo that we will be moving and communicating with everyone from the shoreside people to my crew as to what the plans will be for that day or the next few days. We get so many different types of jobs, and that’s one thing I love about this job. I take notes at each village, updating the village manual every year.
What has been most challenging in your career?
Missing out on family things going on back home is tough and being gone during major life events. But I’ve been sailing so many years you get used to it, and when I am home it’s for long periods so then you can have some real quality time with friends and family.
What are you most proud of in your career?
I think back to when I started out as a bait boy on a crab boat to now becoming a captain for one of the biggest and best shipping companies in Alaska. That makes me proud.
Can you tell us about your family and growing up years?
I grew up in Ballard right by the Ballard locks which is where we keep the company boats now. My parents were hard-working middle class Scandinavian immigrants that taught me to work hard and treat people with respect. I was very lucky to have great parents who loved me and were great role models.
What was your first job?
My first job was a busboy in a local restaurant in Ballard (Seattle).
What would surprise most people about you?
I think my home life would surprise people. I don’t post on social media so people don’t see me in shorts and flip flops which is all I wear at home. My wife grew up on a farm, so we have chickens for fresh eggs. The island we live on is a beautiful place and although it’s a big tourist destination, we live on the quiet side of the island away from most of the big hotels and heavy traffic. My wife and I walk three to four miles every morning before it gets too hot and live a pretty normal life.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
I love to travel and spend time with my family. Building houses in my home of Koh Samui, Thailand, over the last 20 years has kept me busy in the off season as well. I went to Thailand back in 2000 and loved it. In 2005 I built my first house, and I'm married to a Thai national. We have been together 20 years, married 16 years, and we have three daughters. My wife had three young daughters when I met her, but I have helped raise them and they love me and call me Papa. As a sailor I can live anywhere, and I decided early on that I wanted to retire on a coconut island after visiting Koh Samui so I've been planning a comfortable retirement for the last 20 years.
What do you like best about your job?
I’ve said this many times over the years that I truly believe I have the best job in the company, and I really mean it. I get to go to all these great places that many people only dream of, and my office has a 360-degree view of the ocean and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. But not only that, I work with some great people and that makes the time and effort you put in so much easier. I’ve been very lucky to have the support of so many good people around me right from the land-based crew to my onboard crew.
Topics from this blog: Bering Marine Corporation Lynden Lynden Employees Everyday Heroes Featured