Paul McElroy was president of Charter Industry Services, Inc., a company he founded in Chicago in 1983 and relocated to Stuart, Florida in 1988. The company specialized in conducting professional maritime training courses from Alaska to the Virgin Islands. He retired and closed Charter Industry Services, Inc. in 2006 and formed McElroy Maritime Consulting Services to assist licensed mariners in Coast Guard licensing issues.

Mr. McElroy founded Charter Industry magazine, a trade journal for professionals in the marine charter industry, in 1985. The magazine was published from 1985 to 1995. He has extensive writing experience in magazines and newspapers with more than 1,000 published articles to his credit.

Captain McElroy holds a United States Coast Guard Merchant Marine Officer MASTER's license. He received his first Coast Guard license in 1983, operated a sportfishíng charter business in the Chicago area for several years and operates a guide service in South Florida. He served in the United States Air Force and spent a two year tour of duty in the Far East. He specialized in electronics, communications and intelligence. He speaks Japanese and Spanish.

Mr. McElroy received his B.S. in Business Administration from Florida State University. He lives with his wife Michiko in South Florida. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the National Association of Maritime Educators.