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About Us
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Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch is located on the beautiful Nomini Bay in Montross, Virginia. We are passionate about growing oysters and caring for the river and Bay. We currently own 160 acres of water rights where we care for and raise our oysters. We started with a million baby oysters in early 2014, added an additional 2 million in 2015, another million 2016, and will continue to grow our operations annually.
Over the past two and half years, we have been focused on raising the highest quality, freshest oysters on the east coast for your enjoyment. We are now ready to share the fruits of the Bay with all of you! Our pledge to you is to provide prompt, hassle-free delivery of fresh, high quality oysters collected daily from Nomini Bay. Our oysters are hand-selected to provide you with clean, strong, well-shaped shells that always contain plump and delicious meats!
Our Partners and Staff
Lifelong friends from Manassas, Virginia, Paul Simpson, Todd Neilson, and Jess Jones purchased Nomini Bay Oyster Company in the fall of 2016. Their partnership as co-owners brings wide-ranging expertise to the company:
Paul Simpson—Partner and Director of Operations. Paul has over 30 years of experience managing operational teams and managing large scale projects within Facilities and Maintenance. He has spent the last three years working the ranch and learning as much as he can about farming and caring for oysters. Combining his love of oysters with his skills and knowledge has led to a successful operation yielding large quality oysters.
Todd Neilson—Partner. With over 30 years in retail and food management, Todd brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. He has also spent the last three years working the ranch and learning as much as can about farming and caring for oysters. With his background and experience, Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch is able to deliver the freshest East Coast oysters to our customers.
Jess Jones, Ph.D.—Partner and Technical Advisor for Operations. Jess earned his Ph.D. in Fisheries Science from Virginia Tech in 2009, specializing in mollusk biology and aquaculture. With Jess’ knowledge and experience, you can be assured you are receiving large, fresh, quality oysters.
Our History
Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch was formed in April 2014 by Don Neilson. After 40 years of Federal government service with the Department of Veterans Affairs and five years as an owner/CEO of a private company assisting Veterans, Don finally decided to retire and moved to the Northern Neck. However, retirement didn’t last long. Don’s love of the water and passion to protect the bay quickly turned into his next adventure—raising oysters.
Over a drink and a cigar discussing oysters with a neighbor, the idea for Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch was born. It quickly turned into a family business when Don’s kids joined in—sharing Don’s love for oysters and the water— and together, they worked hard to bring Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch to fruition.
In 2016, after 2 years of building the business and watching his kids run things, Don decided to retire and his sons, Paul Simpson and Todd Neilson, along with their childhood friend Dr. Jess Jones, took over the business. Paul, Todd and Jess, along with the Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch team, continue to grow their father’s vision to protect the bay, produce delicious oysters and support their community one half shell at a time.
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