Diego Montealegre is spearheading the expansion of Brand X Hi-Performance Marine’s painting business.

With the introduction of powerboat brokerage and sales business, being part of the Freedom team’s offshore racing campaign during last month’s Super Boat International Offshore World Championships in Key West, Fla., and more, it’s been a busy and productive year for Jason Ventura and the hard-working crew at Brand X Hi-Performance Marine in Pompano Beach, Fla. But they’re not done yet. Thanks to the addition of 35-year-old Diego Montealegre, who is well known for his painting skills as part of the Grafik Worx team in Miami, the company is expanding its boat-painting business.

Montealegre began his career by washing boats for Phil Lipschutz of the famed Cigarette Racing Team dealer Lip-Ship Performance more than 15 years ago. In 2003, he went to work for Grafik Worx and began honing his airbrushing skills.

“I can paint—I learned to paint at Outerlimits,” said Ventura. “But watching Diego, watching someone who paints for a living, it’s just incredible. He can do paint repair work, paint restoration, fiberglass repair, you name it. He’s a great kid and he always gives 100 percent. Some of his repairs look as good or better than the original paint did.”

To view some of Montealegre’s work—plus Montealegre at work—check out the sideshow above.

To handle Brand X’s painting repair and restoration projects, Ventura walled off a section of the shop. But once the company secures its first new complete new paintjob project, Ventura plans to set up a separate painting facility.

“We’re just waiting for that to happen,” he said. “We can design a paint, we can sub out the design or a client can bring in a design from someone else and we’ll apply. It doesn’t matter to us.”

Related stories
Ventura’s Key West Blitz
Brand X Adding Brokerage & Sales Business