From Rags to Enrichment – A Tribute to the Late Wayne B. Brown by Cathryn Castle Garcia

Wayne B. Brown died on March 3, 2026, after what a press release issued by Aggressor Fleet stated was, “a very private battle with bile duct cancer.” Seems the gall bladder thing wasn’t routine, after all. Dammit.

The news of Wayne’s death came as a shock. We’d worked closely together over a two-year period, collecting and refining the stories he selected to include in his book, and during that time, formed a friendship. We discussed the prospect of other books he wished to write, and future plans he had for his business and his family. He was living a full, rich, happy life. When he rattled off his to-do list of projects and adventures, it was easy to imagine he’d live forever. I’m sorry his death is an occasion to use the cliché, “he’s gone too soon.” But it’s true. My heart goes out to his wife Dana, his children and grandchildren, the Aggressor family, and everyone who loves him and mourns his passing.

To follow are a couple excerpts from Wayne’s book. I’m thankful to William Cline and Scuba Diving Industry Magazine for agreeing to honor Wayne in this way.

Wisdom from a Trusted Friend

Dive industry veteran and Wayne’s dear friend Doug McNeese kindly offered to provide the book’s preface, saying, “Wayne shares his unique and sometimes unconventional perspective on what success really means – and how simple it can be to achieve it for yourself. But this isn’t a formulaic business how-to book. He shares personal anecdotes about his family and friends, challenges some so-called business norms, reveals a few of his own missteps along the road to success, and identifies the pet peeves he regularly deals with as an entrepreneur. Wayne’s honest, down-to-earth style of chronicling his personal ‘from rags to enrichment’ experience will probably leave you feeling like you’ve just spent time gaining valuable wisdom from a trusted friend.”

A Finely Tuned BS Detector and Honesty as an Antidote to Nonsense

Among the many things I learned from Wayne is that it’s pointless to try and make friends with everyone, just for the sake of “being nice.” Wayne valued honesty and integrity. He lived by these qualities, and he expected them of others, too.

In his book, he explains, “When it comes to the people I aim to associate with, integrity is a fundamental component of the relationship. To me, the word integrity describes iron-clad honesty, the no-nonsense kind that doesn’t waiver, no matter what. It’s about doing the right thing, without any drama.

Some years ago, I owned a business in partnership with a couple of friends. We decided to sell the business, and during our first discussion about selling, I said, “I know money has a way of making enemies out of friends. I want to make sure, right from the start, that we go through the financials carefully and put everything on the table, and we determine ahead of time how the proceeds will be divided. We need to avoid a situation that could impact our friendship.” We all agreed, and we enlisted a broker to handle the sale.

We each submitted our financial records, which showed I had invested the most money in our venture. The broker used the financial data to come up with the amount each partner was to receive at closing. Because I’d put in the most money, I’d earn the most from the sale.

The math was simple, but it didn’t stop the situation from getting complicated because one of the partners insisted on receiving a larger share. This might be okay when you split a lunch tab and one person’s burger is more expensive than another’s salad; maybe you’re only talking a few dollars’ difference, so it’s no big deal. You’re friends, right? But when selling a business that’s got a hefty price tag attached and one partner has put in more money than the other, ‘Let’s just split it’ doesn’t cut it. Both the broker and I tried explaining the numbers to him, but he dug in, insisting I forfeit a portion of my share ‘to make it even.’ It ended the relationship.

I feel proud that the people I welcome into my inner circle are the ones I know I can trust. I think this is because over the years, I have developed what I refer to as a highly reliable bullshit detector. I typically know right away when someone is trying to feed me a line of BS.

I’m not interested in drama. Sure, every person will have their share of crazy stuff to deal with in life, but I think some people go looking for crazy-making situations. Not me. I’d rather be out enjoying a scuba dive than dealing with drama.”

Time as the Best Investment

Once when I was visiting Wayne in Georgia for work on his book, he took a phone call from his grandson as we were driving to lunch. He put it on speakerphone. I listened quietly as his grandson pitched “Papa” Wayne on the idea of funding his bid for after-school math tutoring. Wayne listened to the pitch and then asked his grandson for details about the tutoring program. He negotiated paying for the lessons with the same intensity as sealing a major business deal. He of course agreed to pay for his grandson’s classes, but only after they’d settled on what chores his grandson would complete to repay the loan.

After they finished the phone call, Wayne said, “I’ll pay for anything my grandkids need, but I don’t want to spoil them, either. This was a good chance to offer my grandson a lesson in negotiating a business deal, but what I really did just now? What I really did was buy myself some time with him. Sure, I’ll get some work out of him when we do chores together. But what I bought was time. Spending time with my grandkids is the best investment, ever.” Oh, Wayne. I wish you’d had more time. Godspeed, friend. We’ll miss you.