Phil previously worked as a business consultant, in the IT security & professional certification areas and in sales & marketing. During this time, aquarium care was his hobby. One day, with a great deal of support from his wife, family and friends, he decided to enter the industry professionally.
Phil has planned, installed, maintained, and managed several hundred aquaria and tens of thousands of gallons of saltwater in the greater DC area and performed services for customers including residential, commercial, and institutional locations. He founded Reef eScape in 2006 and planned, built, & moved into their 1st business address in Fairfax City in 2009. That 2,000 square ft aquarium design center and service department HQ, changed over time to include a retail store. In 2023 the retail store moved 2 doors down in the same building into 5,000 sq ft dedicated to retail and animal care and the original space was reset to focus on the service side of the business along with coral farms and fish holding systems.
A constant diet of live coral reef tanks, ponds, lobster tanks, freshwater tanks, multi-tank systems, QT systems, large tank design & installation, and running a small business keep him busy. Phil spends much of his free time coaching youth ice hockey, playing adult hockey, spending time with his family including snowboarding, boating, and attending his kid's equestrian events and LAX games.
With the help and support of his wife Lucia and their two kids, Phil is proud to have built Reef eScape into the company known to be the D.C. area's premier aquatic services provider with the most professional, knowledgeable, and dedicated staff.