Willliam’s (Bill’s) passion for engineering and marine science commenced in his childhood, which led him to develop underwater instruments for over the past 40 years.  

In fact, Bill has been the founder or partner in four high tech startups, which specialize in marine robotics, sensors and underwater instruments, including animal borne video and data loggers and time-lapse cameras for marine research. Inspired by friend and abalone pioneer, Dr. David Leighton Bill helped establish a Citizen Science Group, which is focused on abalone populations in Southern California and monitors kelp beds with time-lapse cameras.  

In addition, Bill has been the general partner in a real estate partnership for 27 years and has owned and managed real estate in the form of industrial, retail, and residential for over 35 years. These combined interests have enabled him to travel to many remote corners of the world to help conduct marine research.  

Bill has gone back to work part-time at Scripps Institution of Oceanography where he’s mentoring engineering students while developing instruments to study the ocean/atmosphere interface and melting glaciers.  

In his spare time, Bill is also involved with the brand new stem cell brain tumor program, Sanford Stem Cell Institute Brain Tumor Program, as this cause is near and dear to him.  

Now, seeing an urgent need to help the environment, Bill has turned his attention to taking a more active role as a philanthropist. His interests span from the ocean to the rainforests and his activities include helping to provide solar power to indigenous people in the Amazon, and is active locally and nationally.  

Bill is an experienced scuba diver, he resides in North San Diego County, and he enjoys underwater hockey and conversations full of ideas with friends. He has two adult children and is a widower who was happily married to his wife, Barbara Koerschner Hagey, for 18 years. Bill’s utmost devotion to his family and to the natural environment is the driving force that propels both his work and his philanthropy.