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Meet Your Friday Harbor Team
Denise Urell & Cindy Torrey
Denise Urell
Working for Kenmore Air
and moving to San Juan
Island weren’t the origi-
nal plan for Denise Urell.
Her career path previously
included art teacher, Wall
Street arbitrageur, and art
and design collector.
But after raising her two
daughters, Sam and Niki, she
became an empty nester and
was looking for a change.
Her answer came in the
form of a Hallmark movie.
“It was Christmas time, and
I had the Hallmark Channel
on, because there’s always
a happy ending.” At that
moment, she saw a ferry
coming into a small port.
The sign read “Welcome to
the Port of Friday Harbor.”
She thanked the universe
and got busy making plans
to move to this little slice of
heaven tucked beside the
watery US and Canadian
Border, San Juan Island.
“My first trip to the island
was actually for a job inter-
view with PeaceHealth. I
flew Kenmore. And on the
way out I asked the customer
service agent if they were
hiring,” said Denise.
In addition to working for
Kenmore, Denise serves on
the Board of Directors for the
Soroptimist International
of Friday Harbor and is an
active member of the San
Juan Island community. She
frequently attends town halls
and supports local non-prof-
its.
KEY FACTS
Name: Denise Urell
Birthplace: Roslyn Heights,
New York
Residence: Smugglers Cove,
San Juan Island
Years working for
Kenmore: 5
Number of Passengers
Greeted Daily: Dozens
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on San Juan Island?
I love to hike with my hiking buddy, Jake, a 14-year-
old Pomahuahua. All the hikes on the island are
absolutely beautiful, but Mount Finlayson and Mount
Young are probably my favorite.
14
explore: NW | The Official Magazine for kenmore air | Spring 2019
Cindy Torrey
Cindy Torrey loved San Juan
Island before she bought
a house here. Before she
moved here. Probably before
she even knew of the little
island. For Cindy, it offered
everything she loved about
her childhood home in Mich-
igan, with the added bonus
of the ocean.
An avid sailor, Cindy has
been sailing since she was
six-years-old. When her
sister moved to the San Juans
25 years ago, she discovered
the beauty of this sailors’
paradise.
Her son Chris and her
daughter Danielle were
thrilled when she moved to
the San Juans. “I’d fly the kids
up on Kenmore Air. They
loved arriving by seaplane
and feeling like movie stars.
Now that they’re older, I joke
that they don’t even know
how to spell the word ferry,”
said Cindy.
“Joining the Kenmore
team was a neat opportunity.
I’d done so many different
things in the hospitality
industry, but I hadn’t done
anything with aviation. Plus,
I like Kenmore’s reputation.
I’m incredibly proud to work
for them,” said Cindy.
Cindy particularly loves
that Kenmore Air is so
pet-friendly. “It’s wonderful
seeing all the dogs come
through,” she commented.
“When I got my dog Ziggy,
he even flew up on Kenmore
Air.”
KEY FACTS
Name: Cindy Torrey
Birthplace: Midland,
Michigan
Residence: Friday Harbor
Years working for
Kenmore: 4
Number of Pets Flown
Weekly: Roughly 7
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on San Juan Island?
I love walking the dog on South Beach, rain or shine.
And sailing my boat. Any chance I get, I’m out on the
water.