About

Hornblower Group

We are Hornblower Group, the global leader in world-class experiences and transportation.

The brand heritage of our organization dates back nearly 100 years, with the establishment of Boston Harbor Cruises in Massachusetts in 1926; on the west coast of the United States, Hornblower Group began in 1980. Across our growing portfolio, we have a long-standing history of expertise and innovation and have continually redefined the marine hospitality industry. Today, our footprint covers over 10 countries, over 50 U.S. cities and serves more than 20 million guests annually, with offerings including water-based experiences, land-based experiences, and ferry and transportation services and marine consulting & services.

Notably, we designed and built the first hybrid ferry in the United States which reduces fuel consumption by 75%; it is part of Alcatraz City Cruises. City Ferry operates the first zero-emission, all-electric passenger/vehicle ferry in the U.S.

Our Hornblower Group global headquarters is in Orlando, Florida, with additional corporate offices in San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; and Ontario, Canada.

Core Leadership Team

Mike Flaskey
Mike Flaskey
Chief Executive Officer

Mike Flaskey

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Mike Flaskey is the CEO and member of the board of directors at Hornblower Group. An innovative and results-driven leader, Flaskey has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience in public and privately held companies.

Under Flaskeyโ€™s leadership, Diamond Resorts achieved unprecedented growth both organically and through strategic acquisitions, as the company acquired and integrated eleven companies since 2011 before its 2021 acquisition by Hilton Grand Vacations. Flaskey shifted the traditional timeshare marketing and sales model to a hospitality-infused model that includes a high-touch upstream engagement stance, thus providing owners and guests with a service-first, experiential approach while on vacation.

Flaskey developed and delivered strategic partnerships and relationships with numerous prominent sporting and entertainment professionals that have resulted in the creation and growth of Diamondโ€™s innovative Events of a Lifetimeยฎ experiential franchise, the Diamond Concert Seriesโ„ข and, most notably, the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, a network- televised, best-in-class LPGA Tournament of Champions/Celebrity golf tournament. The tournament has a strong philanthropic arm and โ€“ as of January 2021 โ€“ raised over $4 million for charitable causes.

Prior to Diamond Resorts, Flaskey held senior executive roles with Starwood Vacation Ownership and Fairfield Resorts (now Wyndham Vacation Ownership). He has a track record of recruiting and developing top talent and is a culture-conscious, performance-driven leader with a history of excellent results while always placing guest satisfaction first. Flaskey is an Independent Director and Board member at ClubCorp, the leading owner-operator of private golf and country clubs, city and stadium clubs in North America. He also serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), and previously served as an independent Board member of Soberlink, Inc. Flaskey holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Limestone University.

Matt Durfee
Matt Durfee
Interim Chief Human Resources Officer

Matt Durfee

Interim Chief Human Resources Officer

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Matt Durfee is the Interim Chief Human Resources Officer. In this role, he oversees the global human resources strategy to support Hornblowerโ€™s 5,000-plus employees worldwide.

Matt is the President and Senior Advisor of Navigator Executive Advisors, Inc., a human resources services firm providing HR consulting to U.S. and global employers. Prior to launching Navigator, Matt held Chief Human Resources Officer, Senior Vice President, Vice President, and Human Resources management positions in several global-reach companies such as Nestlรฉ, PepsiCo, Hard Rock Cafรฉ, Frito-Lay, Bank One, Coca-Cola Enterprises, and Marriott International.

Matt earned his Masterโ€™s Degree in Human Resources and Labor Relations from Michigan State University, where he also graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He subsequently completed an executive program in financial analysis at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Dave McGinnis Hornblower Group Chief Financial Officer
Dave McGinnis
Chief Financial Officer

Dave McGinnis

Chief Financial Officer

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With more than 20 years of financial leadership experience, Dave McGinnis plays a pivotal role in advancing Hornblower Groupโ€™s strategic objectives, executing business plans for organic growth, and leading the finance team to continued success.

McGinnis joined Hornblower Group from Filtration Group, where he served as CFO since 2020, leading the financial operations across 75 facilities in 19 countries. His notable accomplishments include overseeing the successful acquisition of Columbus Industries and navigating the company through challenging market conditions to maintain peak EBITDA performance. McGinnis also developed strong expertise in the infrastructure model, an asset in his support of Hornblowerโ€™s Ferries & Concessions businesses.

Before his time at Filtration Group, McGinnis served as CFO at Illinois Tool Works, where he managed a $3 billion+ segment spanning 84 facilities worldwide. During his tenure, he played a crucial role in the acquisition and integration of Engineered Fasteners & Components and was instrumental in leading commercial negotiations with major customers, driving growth above market averages.

McGinnisโ€™s extensive experience also includes nearly 15 years at the General Electric Company, where he held various senior leadership roles, including CFO of the Distributed Power Services division. His expertise in managing large-scale operations has shaped his ability to lead teams and drive results in complex global environments.

Stewart Alpert
Stewart Alpert
Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Technology Officer

Stewart Alpert

Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Technology Officer

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Currently serving as Hornblowerโ€™s Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Technology Officer, Stewart Alpert has extensive experience and expertise at the nexus of technology and business. Well versed in security, engineering, and IT, heโ€™s held leadership roles in top companies such as VMware and Walmart Labs as well as several start-ups. Alpert holds a masterโ€™s degree in software engineering, and a bachelorโ€™s degree in computer science.

Lakshmi Williams, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel
Lakshmi Williams
Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel

Lakshmi Williams

Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel

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Lakshmi Williams oversees all legal matters across Hornblower Group, guiding our legal strategy and providing strategic counsel to the executive team.

Lakshmi joined Hornblower from Transurban Group, where she held several legal leadership roles during her tenure of more than ten years, most recently as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for North America. In this position, she played a key role in overseeing legal, governance, compliance, and risk functions for one of the largest transportation infrastructure companies, driving major legal and business initiatives that included large-scale acquisitions, joint ventures, and complex litigation. Her leadership was instrumental in the success of numerous multi-million-dollar projects, including the completion of the $1B+ acquisition of a Canadian company. While at Transurban, Lakshmi also gained extensive experience in navigating complex legal and regulatory landscapes and was integral in risk management and strategic legal advisory.

Prior to Transurban, Lakshmi served as in-house legal counsel for GridPoint, Inc., and MicroStrategy Incorporated.

Lakshmi earned her bachelorโ€™s degree from Rice University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School.

Len Wolin
Len Wolin
President, City Experiences

Len Wolin

President, City Experiences

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Len Wolin leads the strategic direction of City Experiences, which encompasses Hornblower Groupโ€™s diverse portfolio of water- and land-based experience companies. Wolin is responsible for driving the unified strategy across the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour Tours brands, with a sharp focus on optimizing operations, enhancing financial performance, and providing visionary executive leadership to ensure continued growth and success.

With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Wolin brought a wealth of expertise in operational excellence, brand development, and strategic growth. Prior to joining Hornblower Group, Wolin served as Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations at Sonesta International Hotels, where he was responsible for the performance and profitability of the companyโ€™s portfolio of more than 200 hotels. He was instrumental in driving operational efficiencies, enhancing guest experiences, and strengthening employee engagement, all while generating significant revenue growth across multiple hotel brands.

Before his tenure at Sonesta, Wolin served as Senior Vice President of Global Hotel Operations at Club Quarters Hotels, where he led operational strategy for the companyโ€™s portfolio of properties. Wolin began and spent most of his career at Marriott International and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, where he held senior leadership positions and played a key role in enhancing operational performance and driving guest satisfaction at
some of the worldโ€™s most renowned hospitality brands.

Wolin holds an MBA from the University of Maryland University College and a bachelorโ€™s degree from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

Michael K. Burke
COO Concessions & Park Services

Michael K. Burke

COO, Concessions & Park Services

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As COO, Concessions and Park Services, Michael K. Burke oversees Alcatraz City Cruises and Statue City Cruises operations. In this position, Burke is responsible for relationships with the National Park Service, U.S. Coast Guard, NYC Parks & Recreation, Port of San Francisco, and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, along with other government agencies and not- for-profit partners.

Prior to his current position, Burke served as CFO at BillyBey Ferry Company from 2005 to 2008. Burke was also President and CEO at Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry in 2000 and 2001, where he served as its first non-owner chief executive.

Burke is an active Board and Committee Member of NYC & Company, the Friends of Governors Island, and various other organizations. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100 GRT Captain License and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Mory DiMaurizio
COO, City Cruises Canada

Mory DiMaurizio

COO, City Cruises Canada

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Mory DiMaurizio joined Hornblower Canada in 2014. At the helm of Canadaโ€™s most iconic tourist attraction, DiMaurizio oversees the safe passage of over 2.4 million visitors per year. He is responsible for ensuring that his highly skilled team is focused on guest services, safety and environmental goals and objectives. As key liaison with the Niagara Parks Commission, an operational enterprise agency for the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, DiMaurizio ensures compliance with all financial and operating agreements.

With 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, DiMaurizio sits on the Board of Directors for Niagara Falls Tourism as Treasurer and the Tourism Partnership of Niagara.

Prior to joining Hornblower, DiMaurizio was General Manager for Medieval Times Entertainment, overseeing the Toronto operations at the Canadian National Exhibition from 2005 to 2013. DiMaurizio was also General Manager for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, participating in casino development and operations and leading 14 successful casino startup operations within the Canadian gaming industry from 1996 to 2005.

DiMaurizio is a Certified Engineering Technologist (OACETT), is a graduate of Electrical Engineering with a double minor in Computers and Electronics from Niagara College.

Roisin Oโ€™Sullivan
Global Managing Director, Walks & Devour

Roisin Oโ€™Sullivan

Global Managing Director, Walks & Devour

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Bio coming soon.

Nasi Peretz
President & Chief Technology Officer, Anchor Operating System

Nasi Peretz

President & Chief Technology Officer, Anchor Operating System

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Nasi Peretz is a seasoned technology executive currently serving as the President and Chief Technology Officer at Anchor, a division of City Experiences, since January 2023. He has been instrumental in leading technological advancements within the organization, focusing on the development of the Anchor Operating System, which aims to enhance operational efficiencies in the cruise and experiences sector.

A graduate of the University of Southern Californiaโ€™s Viterbi School of Engineering in Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Peretz previously co-created westsiderentals.com, which was sold to apartments.com, and ticketmob.com, which was acquired by Cvent and later Ticketmaster/LiveNation.

Ali Chaudhry
Executive Vice President and Lead of Government Partnerships

Ali Chaudhry

Executive Vice President and Lead of Government Partnerships

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As Executive Vice President and Lead of Government Partnerships, Ali Chaudhry heads Hornblower Groupโ€™s efforts to build and strengthen relationships with key government stakeholders, shape impactful policy initiatives, and forge strategic partnerships across both public and private sectors. With his extensive expertise in public policy and infrastructure, Chaudhry plays a pivotal role in driving strategic growth and fostering innovation within our government relations efforts.

Before joining Hornblower Group, Chaudhry served as Senior Vice President and Chief of Development & Government Relations at AECOM, a global leader in infrastructure consulting. During his seven years with AECOM, he led business development, industry engagement, community relations and strategic initiatives across the East Coast of the Americas, as well as the Caribbean and South America. He focused particularly on the New York metro region, where he played a key role in expanding government contracts, pursuing significant public projects, and cultivating private-sector partnerships. Much of Chaudhryโ€™s work centered on transit-oriented development, aviation, clean energy projects, and public-private collaborations for large-scale infrastructure endeavors. As project executive, he guided high-profile projects such as the JFK Airport redevelopment and served as a strategic advisor on major procurement efforts for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway repairs, the construction of the Grand Central Madison rail terminal and concourse, and the redevelopment of Penn Station.

Chaudhry holds a bachelorโ€™s degree in political science and psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University and a Juris Doctor from Albany Law School.

Phil Anzai
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development

Phil Anzai

Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development

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A graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (MBA) and the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business (BS Finance), Phil Anzai is an experienced travel and hospitality professional specializing in customer experience, service operations, and strategy. From his time consulting with McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, and Hitachi Consulting, he has wide industry knowledge and practice across airlines, hotels, casinos, airports, OTAs, transportation companies, and experience operators. Prior to consulting, Anzai started his career with The Walt Disney Company and Six Flags.

Eric Assam
Senior Vice President of Revenue Management and Merchandising

Eric Assam

Senior Vice President of Revenue Management and Merchandising

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Eric Assam oversees the strategic direction of Hornblower Groupโ€™s revenue management efforts, including pricing, merchandising, loyalty programs, inventory management, and channel strategies, with a focus on driving revenue growth in alignment with Hornblowerโ€™s core business objectives.

Assam brings a wealth of experience in revenue management and operational efficiency to Hornblower Group. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President at Capital Vacations, where he was instrumental in developing and executing key revenue-driving initiatives. Under his leadership, Capital Vacations experienced remarkable growth, increasing contract revenue from $32 million in 2018 to an estimated $285 million in 2023 and Volume Per Guest from $2,500 in 2018 to over $4,000 by the end of 2022. In addition,
his work in revitalizing the Capital Club loyalty program resulted in an 80% increase in occupancy during off-peak periods.

Before his tenure at Capital Vacations, Assam spent eight years at Diamond Resorts, where he was a key player in elevating the companyโ€™s industry position from the top 15-20 to number 3 by 2015. His efforts also led to improved customer service metrics, including a reduction in call center answer times and dropped calls, while boosting ancillary revenues by 50%.

Assam also held various sales and marketing roles at Wyndham Vacation Ownership for nearly two decades.

He has a bachelorโ€™s degree in marketing and organizational development from the University of Colorado.

Liz Crisafi
Senior Vice President, Marketing

Liz Crisafi

Senior Vice President, Marketing

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As SVP of Marketing, Liz Crisafi leads global marketing activities, overseeing brand, communications, revenue optimization, digital, and data strategy across Hornblowerโ€™s robust portfolio of water- and land-based experiences.

With more than two decades of experience in global brand building, performance marketing and digital transformation, Crisafi joined Hornblower as a proven leader in setting the standard for marketing excellence in digital and experiential landscapes.

Most recently, Crisafi was the Global Vice President of Integrated Marketing for IHG Hotels and Resorts, where she led a diverse global team responsible for IHGโ€™s digital commercial performance, brand growth, and integrated customer marketing across 19 hotel brands and 6,000+ hotels worldwide. Charged with continuing IHGโ€™s growth trajectory and optimizing marketingโ€™s role in commercial performance, she successfully drove consistent outperformance in market share/RevPAR & EBITDA. As a key player in IHGโ€™s recovery post-Covid, she also helped put IHG on the map as a leading hotel brand with the global launch of IHG Hotels and Resorts and IHG One Rewards campaigns, including the largest and most comprehensive media investments in company history.

Prior to spending 10 years at IHG, Crisafi also held senior marketing roles at Kimberly-Clark, Ogilvy & Mather, Discovery Communications, and Eastman Kodak. Beyond her corporate achievements, Crisafi also serves as an Advisory Board Member for the American Marketing Association and Brand Innovators and served on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Tourism Foundation.

Crisafi holds a bachelorโ€™s degree in communications and broadcasting from Georgia Southern University.

Tony Walker
Tony Walker
Senior Vice President of Sales

Tony Walker

Senior Vice President of Sales

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Tony Walker leads global sales activities across Hornblowerโ€™s diverse portfolio of water- and land-based experiences.

A proven leader with a track record of building and scaling successful sales teams, Walker previously worked for Diamond Resorts, most recently as EVP and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. During his ten-year tenure at the company, his achievements include presiding over a 50 percent growth in revenue as well as overseeing two acquisitions and openings of eight new sales offices across key markets. He was responsible for over $1 billion in annual revenue and managed a diverse team of more than 2,000 across 36 sales offices in 10 countries.

Prior to Diamond Resorts, Walker served as Regional Director of Florida for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, leading the sales and marketing group and overseeing four sales galleries representing over $100 million in annual revenue. Walkerโ€™s experience also includes serving as VP of Sales and Marketing for Fairfield Resorts in Las Vegas.

History of the Company

Our story officially begins in 1980 when Hornblower Tours was purchased by Terry MacRae in Berkeley, California. However, the history of brands in our portfolio goes back nearly 100 years:
  • 1926 โ€“ Boston Harbor Cruises is founded in Boston, Massachusetts
  • 1951 โ€“ Gananoque Boat Lines is founded in Gananoque, Ontario, Canada
  • 1974 โ€“ Potomac Riverboat Cruises is founded in Alexandria, Virginia
  • 1978 โ€“ Spirit Cruises is founded in Norfolk, Virginia
  • 1980 โ€“ Hornblower Tours purchased by Terry MacRae in Berkeley, California
  • 1980 โ€“ 1987 โ€“ The company is known as Hornblower Party Yachts
  • 1984 โ€“ The company moves its headquarters to San Francisco, California
  • 1986 โ€“ City Cruises is founded in London, England
  • 1987 โ€“ 1993 โ€“ The company is known as Hornblower Dining Yachts
  • 1987 โ€“ Mariposa Cruises is founded in Toronto, Canada
  • 1991 โ€“ Odyssey Cruises is founded in Chicago, Illinois
  • 1993 โ€“ 2020 โ€“ The company is known as Hornblower Cruises & Events
  • 1993 โ€“ The company spins off Hornblower Marine Services (HMS), a marine management company focused on the operation of casino boats and ferries. HMS Ferries, Inc. expands to government contracting work and the development of high-speed ferry systems.
  • 1996 โ€“ City Cruises develops the first new purpose-built sightseeing boat on the River Thames in London
  • 1996 โ€“ Seadog is founded in Chicago, Illinois
  • 1997 โ€“ The company acquires Lake Tahoe Cruises, Inc. and adds ferry services across Lake Tahoe
  • 1998 โ€“ Mystic Blue Cruises is founded in Chicago, Illinois
  • 2004 โ€“ Hornblower Group acquires Adventures at Sea and becomes the largest private yacht fleet in Southern California
  • 2006 โ€“ Alcatraz Cruises, a Hornblower subsidiary, is awarded National Park Commission contract for Alcatraz Island in San Francisco
  • 2007 โ€“ Entertainment Cruises acquires Baltimore Harbor Cruises
  • 2008 โ€“ Hornblower Group awarded National Park Service contract for Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Immigration Museum
  • 2009 โ€“ Seaward Services is founded in New Albany, Indiana
  • 2009 โ€“ Alcatraz Cruises designed and built the first hybrid ferry in the United States which reduces fuel consumption by 75%
  • 2011 โ€“ Cruising Excursions is founded in London, England
  • 2014 โ€“ Niagara Cruises begins tours in Niagara Gorge with two state-of-the-art catamarans
  • 2015 โ€“ Hornblower Group awarded the NYC Ferry contract by the New York City Economic Development Corporation
  • 2016 โ€“ Entertainment Cruises is formed with the merger of Odyssey Cruises and Spirit Cruises
  • 2016 โ€“ Entertainment Cruises acquires Potomac Riverboat Company
  • 2017 โ€“ NYC Ferry by Hornblower begins operations on May 1, 2017
  • 2018 โ€“ Entertainment Cruises acquires Mariposa Cruises
  • 2019 โ€“ The Geeโ€™s Bend Ferry operates the first zero-emission, all-electric passenger/vehicle ferry in the U.S.
  • 2019 โ€“ Hornblower Group acquires Entertainment Cruises, Boston Harbor Cruises, Gananoque Boat Lines, and UK-based City Cruises under the Cruises & Events division
  • 2020 โ€“ The company is known as Hornblower Group, with Cruises & Events becoming one of the companyโ€™s four divisions
  • 2020 โ€“ HMS Ferries Inc. named operator of Puerto Rico Ferry Service
  • 2021 โ€“ In April 2021, Hornblower Cruises & Events, City Cruises, and HMS Ferries, Inc. rebrand as one master company, City Experiences. City Cruises and City Ferry are named sub-brands of the division
  • 2021 – As part of the companyโ€™s expansion of its diverse portfolio, Hornblower Group acquired Walks Tours, offering unique and memorable walking tours across Europe and North America. Later in 2021, Devour Tours, which provides award-winning food and wine experiences in major cities across Europe and North America, was also acquired to expand Hornblower Groupโ€™s land- based experience offerings.