Jay Hemdal has been an avid aquarist for over 45 years. He was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan and set up his first marine aquarium when he was 9 years old. He worked part time for over 10 years at various local retail pet stores and fish wholesale companies when he was living at home and later while at college. After graduating from college, he managed the aquarium department of a large retail pet store for four years until 1985 when he was hired as an aquarist (and later department manager) for the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago Illinois. In 1989, he accepted the position of Curator of Fishes and Invertebrates for the Toledo Zoo, where he still works today.