Captain George H. Reid was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and raised in Florida, where he now resides. He started to sea in the early 1940s and received his original license as third mate in 1944. He has since served as mate and master aboard tankers, freighters, windjammers, fishing vessels, and tugs. In addition, he has had experience as a pilot, docking master, and salvage master. About half of his time at sea has been spent aboard tugs, which he regards as more interesting and challenging than service aboard conventional vessels.

Today his principal activity is presiding over the activities of his firm, Harrison Reid & Associates of Cape Canaveral, Florida, which provides consulting, surveying, and marine engineering services to the maritime industry. Reid is the author of Primer of Towing, Third Edition and Shiphandling with Tugs, First Edition.