In November 2019, captains from all over the country converged on Charleston, South Carolina for the 2019 Sea Tow Annual Meeting. At the meeting, the Sea Tow Franchise of the Year award was presented to Sea Tow Portland/Midcoast owners Bruce White and Matt Wilder. The award is presented to the franchise that most exemplifies Sea Tow’s high standards of service and operation

Over the years, White and Wilder have helped debut a number of new programs for both Sea Tow and its nonprofit arm, the Sea Tow Foundation. Two years ago, the duo unveiled Portland Sea Taxi to service boaters and other mariners throughout the area. They have also made a number of partnerships to help local organizations such as the Maine Island Trail Association.

Captains Wilder and White are fixtures in the Boothbay Harbor area. Wilder was born in Boothbay Harbor and has been a maritime professional since he was 14, receiving his Coast Guard captain’s license at 21.

When he was just two weeks old, White’s parents took him for his first boat ride and he has been on the water ever since. At age 14, he started his passenger-carrying career and obtained his captain’s license at 19 years old. He currently holds a Coast Guard license for vessels up to 100 tons.