NCL Announces Local Hawaii Team
Robert Kritzman to Head New Hawaii Operations
Company also names three local executives to key positions
MIAMI, FL, July 25, 2003 -Norwegian Cruise Line
(NCL) announced today it will open its Hawaii office in Honolulu
next month, and that Miami-based NCL executive Robert Kritzman
will move to Hawaii to head up the new operation.
In addition, the company has hired three Honolulu-based
executives to the positions of Director of Marine and Port
Operations, Director of Hawaii Land Operations and Director
of Human Resources and Administration. All three positions
will report to Kritzman, as will several others yet to be
filled.
The new office is being established in advance
of NCL's major expansion in Hawaii in 2004, including the
introduction of two new U.S. Flagged, U.S. crewed ships that
will sail inter-island Hawaii cruises under the NCL America
brand.
A 12-year veteran at NCL's headquarters in
Miami, Kritzman is currently Senior Vice President and General
Counsel, overseeing NCL's human resources department, legal
department, risk management department and its corporate affairs
program. He also serves on the company's executive committee
and sits on the boards of the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation,
the International Council of Cruise Lines and the North West
Cruiseship Association. He will continue to work closely with
the Miami office reporting to NCL's President and CEO Colin
Veitch.
"By the year 2006, we will have 30 percent
of our fleet capacity in Hawaii," according to Veitch.
"Robert has the background and experience to run a successful
operation in this very important market for us. Transferring
such a senior executive to take care of a single market illustrates
the importance of Hawaii in NCL's business mix and our commitment
to the success of our new U.S. Flag operation."
The appointment of Kritzman comes in advance
of a deployment in 2004 that sees four NCL ships serving the
Hawaii market: two U.S. flagged ships sailing inter-island
year-round under the NCL America brand - Pride of America
and Pride of Aloha; and two foreign flagged ships offering
Hawaii/Fanning Island itineraries - Norwegian Wind sailing
year round and Norwegian Star sailing through April 2004.
Company hires three key Hawaii executives
NCL has hired William ("Bill") Anonsen as Director
of Marine and Port Operations. Anonsen has more than 30 years
experience in Hawaii's maritime industry. He most recently
worked for the State of Hawaii's Department of Transportation
where he was the maritime operations specialist. While he
was there, he oversaw the development of cruise ship terminals
and infrastructure improvements, and developed immediate and
long-term statewide port security measures after Sept. 11th.
Previously, Anonsen worked for American Classic
Voyages for seven years where he held various roles including
Director of Marine Operations and Vice President of Maritime
Affairs and Training. He is involved with numerous organizations
including the Chamber of Commerce's maritime affairs committee,
the Board of Governors, U.S. Navy League, the Hawaii Operational
Safety Team, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and he is an advisory
board member of the Travel Industry Management School at the
University of Hawaii.
Lei Fountain joins NCL as Director of Hawaii
Land Operations. Fountain most recently worked for American
Classic Voyages where she worked first as Revenue Manager,
then Director of Land Operations and Shore Excursions and
finally as Vice President of Destination Services.
She will be responsible for operating all land
based passenger operations in Hawaii including hotel programs,
sightseeing, embarkation, shore excursions and transfers.
Fountain has a Master's degree in Business
Administration with an emphasis in marketing from the University
of Hawaii. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from
the University of Redlands in California.
Dale Chikuami Hahn joins NCL as Director of
Human Resources and Administration - Hawaii. She will be responsible
for all human resources and administration activities.
Prior to joining NCL, Hahn was a consultant
to Pacific Management Consultants, Inc., a Hawaii based government
affairs and public relations consulting company, and was for
several years the Chief Operating Officer of Pearl City Nursing
Home and Oahu Care Facility. She holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Hawaii-Manoa.
"We are very pleased to have Bill, Lei
and Dale joining our Hawaii operation," Robert Kritzman
said. "They each bring a wealth of local knowledge and
cruise industry experience that combine to make an exceptional
team."
For further information on NCL and NCL America,
agents in the U.S. and Canada may contact NCL at (800) 327-7030;
visit NCL's website at www.ncl.com
or on AOL at keyword: NCL; or to download high-resolution
photography visit www.ncl.com/hires
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