is on a mission.
Our mission is to restore aquatic ecosystems. We take dirty, mucky, algae-dominated bodies of water, and turn them into beautiful, healthy, clean, clear, sustainable ecosystems that support plants, fish, animals, anglers, ecotourism, and local economies. Seagrass is the key to crystal clear water. It cleans the water, stabilizes the sediment, and provides food and habitat for fish and animals, and sequesters harmful nutrients that cause algae. We dredge to provide a clean substrate, plant seagrass, protect it, and maintain it.
In response to the high incidence of Florida manatees perishing from starvation due to disappearing seagrass meadows, their primary food source, Sea & Shoreline has launched a new campaign titled Seagrass Saves Sea Life. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and educate consumers and legislators on the positive environmental and ecological benefits of seagrass, and to provide updates on current projects underway to restore seagrass in Florida’s waterways. For news, events, and fun and educational resources about the benefits of seagrass and how you can do your part to keep our waterways clean to save sea life, follow us on social media.
Why choose
Sea & Shoreline?
We have done more aquatic restoration projects than any company in the world. Most importantly, our projects last. We guarantee it. We maintain the world’s largest aquaculture nursery with a variety of seagrasses that are ready to plant, and have developed scientifically-validated, patented technologies and processes that help to ensure the long-term success of your restoration project.
Meet our
Management Team
-
Jim Anderson
Founder
Jim is responsible for our main aquaculture nursery in Ruskin, Florida where he cultivates seagrasses and other submerged aquatic vegetation for our aquatic restoration projects. Jim spent most of his career in turf farming and nursery production of ornamental plants. Jim has developed and patented several subaquatic restoration technologies including an underwater liquid fertilization system, a planting machine that mechanizes the back-breaking work of hand-planting seagrass beds, a transplantation system for salvaging and transporting large pieces of seagrass sod, and sediment tubes for repairing propeller scars.
-
Carter Henne
President
Carter is a biologist and is responsible for scientific research and innovative solutions to address water quality and coastal resiliency. He is a native Floridian with a passion for creating self-sustaining natural aquatic ecosystems through scientifically validated restoration methods. Carter completed undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of South Florida and held positions with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Seagrass Recovery where he was Chief Biologist and Project Manager for some of the largest and most successful Florida seagrass projects to date.
-
Jeff Huenink
Chief Executive Officer
Jeff is responsible for the company’s legal, financial, and business operations, as well as government affairs. He completed undergraduate studies in Finance and Marketing at the University of South Florida and has been named an outstanding alumnus of USF’s College of Business. Jeff is a former member of the Florida House of Representatives. He successfully managed several businesses, one of which included an Initial Public Offering that was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He has held the positions of CEO, CFO, and Managing Director for a variety of Florida-based businesses.
-
Heather Herold
Chief Sales & Marketing Officer
Heather is responsible for Sea & Shoreline’s sales of design/build projects, and procurement of public bids and grants, as well as strategic marketing and marketing communications including publicity and media relations, digital marketing, and community outreach. She is a serial entrepreneur founding/co-founding five businesses of which several were acquired by Fortune 10 companies. She has held executive level management positions with McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, Hearst, and Diebold and has won numerous national awards for excellence in sales and marketing. She completed undergraduate studies in Journalism and Marketing at Duquesne University and postgraduate masters studies in Business at the University of Pittsburgh.
-
Andy Risi, PhD
Vice President, Solutions
Andy is responsible for the company’s marine construction projects and for transitioning all newly awarded construction projects from sales to operations. His areas of specialization include environmental science, coastal stabilization, dredging, heavy civil construction, and permitting. Andy is a Florida and North Carolina certified General Contractor and has held positions with Oklawaha Farms and La Vai Moana Marine Center. He completed undergraduate studies in Geology at Southern Methodist and received his PhD in Marine Geology and Geophysics at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
-
Fred Meinke
Vice President, Operations
A skilled Vice President of Operations, specializing in state, local, and private project management, construction and financial management. Successfully handles large-scale projects, including coastal habitat restoration, dredging, shoreline erosion, embankment stabilization, and seagrass mitigation. Prior to working with Sea & Shoreline, Fred spent years negotiating contracts, estimating, and ensuring compliance within the residential construction business for JH Inland Homes. Fred has his undergraduate degree in History from the University of South Florida.
-
Ryan Brushwood
Vice President, Environmental Science
Ryan manages Sea & Shoreline’s team of biologists and is responsible for all seagrass and other submerged aquatic vegetation restoration projects. He has led highly successful projects in the Indian River Lagoon and its tributaries, Caloosahatchee River, Crystal River, Homosassa River, and dozens more, some with documented survivability rates of over 95%. Ryan manages permitting and works closely with FDEP, USACE, FWC, and state water management districts. He is a PADI certified diver, and holds a B.S. in Marine Science/Biology from the University of Tampa.
-
John Than
Vice President, Supply
John manages the aquaculture of seagrass and other submerged aquatic vegetation at Sea & Shoreline’s nursery in Ruskin, FL and joint nursery with Hubbs SeaWorld in Sebastian, FL. His area of specialty includes large scale facility design, build and management; husbandry and reproduction of aquatic vertebrate, and invertebrate animals and plants and algae for restoration. John received his background in Aquaculture/Biology from the Hillsborough Community College and has continuing education with the University of Florida. John was a Curator and Development manager for the Center for Conservation and Technology at the Florida Aquarium, and worked extensively on their coral projects in house and in the Florida Keys where he has worked with MOTE Marine, Keys Marine Laboratory, Coral Restoration Foundation, and NOAA. His has been a commercial fisherman for over 25 years and is excited to help bring his experiences to help restore our natural resources.
Our History.
Sea & Shoreline’s founder Jim Anderson started his career cultivating lawn grasses of various species to accompany his nursery operations. Jim ventured into seagrasses when a local favorite fishing area was threatened with closure to boats as a result of extensive propeller scarring. He argued that repairing the seagrasses was more logical, and began developing technologies to address seagrass restoration needs. As a turf farmer/grower, he felt that using farming skills and retooling them to fit aquatic restoration needs would be a logical transition.
Since then, the company has not only successfully restored countless rivers, lakes, lagoons, and estuaries, but also pioneered innovative technologies that help to ensure the long-term success of restoration projects.
