NEWYORKCITY Creating Experiences An Interview with Cameron Clark, Senior Vice President - Development, Hornblower Cruises & Events - New York Cameron Clark and the Hornblower Hybrid and Hornblower Serenity

EDITORS’ NOTE Cameron Clark has worked of Liberty and . On January 1, 2008 and are for visitors, except for those from with Hornblower for over a decade, starting the Hornblower family of companies started Staten Island or . Historically, fer- his career off as a Special Projects/Facilities their first operation in . ries have not been at the same pricing as other Manager after graduating from the California We have been really blessed since that modes of public transit. Maritime Academy. He received his M.B.A. in expansion. We have built an amazing team There is a bit of sea change that will be Finance and Marketing from Carnegie Mellon around Statue Cruises and created a great suc- necessary to educate people on ferries not only University in Pittsburgh. cess. We realized it was only one component of being a great way to get around but how they’re the things we could do here. A few years after also timely, reliable, and high-quality, all for the COMPANY BRIEF Since 1980, when it set sail our New York launch, we expanded into the same price as the subway. as a two-ship operation on Bay, commuter business by acquiring Liberty We’re working hard on that messaging Hornblower (hornblower.com) has exceeded guest Landing Ferry Company. It runs ferries from with our partners, businesses, and communities expectations by maintaining impeccable comfort Jersey City and into the World to ensure that these historically underserved and safety standards for its vessels and facilities. Financial Center in . We saw communities are now going to have a viable Thanks to storied yachts, spectacular scenery, and this as an opportunity to improve the breadth opportunity to make commuting and connect- diverse tour offerings, Hornblower today is a fast- of our service, but it also provided more oppor- ing easier. growing business with a mix of 70 yachts and fer- tunities for us to get into other markets in the In terms of Hornblower, we operate as a ries serving both coasts and Canada. New York area. That business has continued to house of brands with the realization that we’re grow year over year. trying to solve different things for different peo- Would you provide an overview of After that, we were able to expand through ple. We have a strong brand and people are Hornblower’s business within the New one of our affiliate companies, HMS Global continuing to recognize what we do. We deliver York/Tri-State market today and how it has Maritime, with a contract for ferry transporta- a quality product and service, but we’re also try- grown? tion to Governors Island. ing to put emphasis and support on our varying We’ve always had an entrepreneurial com- In 2012, we brought the Hornblower brand operations. pany filled with amazing employees and crew to New York at Pier 40 in the West Village. This Does hospitality come into play in all that has allowed us to grow from a single small includes sightseeing charters, corporate events, aspects of your operations? operation in Berkeley, California, with 40 peo- weddings, and private events, among other things. Our voyage or mission as a company is ple to where we are today. It was that continual In late 2013/early 2014, we won another simple: we create an amazing experience that innovative and entrepreneurial approach that development project with the city where we has been a driving force behind the business allowed us to transition from a traditional dinner were able to expand into South Street Seaport from its inception. Our founder and CEO real- cruise company in California to the leading ferry and Pier 15. Now, we are running nearly a mil- ized there was an opportunity to create some- operator and government boat operator within lion passengers through sightseeing-, cocktail-, thing on a boat that was unique for many the country. and entertainment-style events in New York. It’s people. In the mid-1990s, we started doing consult- an upcoming community and we’re looking to A component of that is the interaction with ing work and running other operations outside reshape the products offered to meet the needs the crew and their hospitality, and we haven’t of the dinner boat industry for ferry operators of the changing generation. lost that connection from the early 1980s to to- and municipalities, as well as for casino ships. We’ve now grown to more than 450 em- day. That focus, even if it’s just a smile and In the early 2000s, we were able to take that ployees in the New York market. This has not “welcome aboard” on a ferry, is something we experience, coupled with our hospitality back- only gotten the attention of the city but, cou- commit to. In doing so, we provide a great ground and experience in creating amazing pled with our success in Niagara, the city of experience, be it a five-minute ferry ride or a experiences, into the con- New York and the New York City Economic three-hour dinner cruise. cessions business. Our first expansion and suc- Development Corporation saw that we not only How much of a focus has corporate cessful contract was providing ferry service to had the vision, innovation, and experience to business been? Alcatraz, which is now running under the brand develop this mode of transportation, but also People like to be appreciated and busi- Alcatraz Cruises. the willingness to reshape how people think nesses want to make sure their employees are Shortly thereafter, an opportunity for the of ferries and public transit. This led to a great respected. When we’re out on the water in business was put out by the opportunity we’re working on now: Citywide some of the beautiful areas in which we oper- National Park Service. We were confident we Ferry by Hornblower, which will go into service ate, we pride ourselves on the fact that people could win it and build upon the success of the next summer. are seeing things from a different perspective. great service we were delivering at Alcatraz. As Hornblower has grown in the New People are very busy with their own lives. Like everything else, timing and capacity aren’t York market, have you been happy with the When they go to a restaurant or bar, the to- always aligned, but we had to take advantage recognition for the brand? tal price isn’t much different than a cruise with of those opportunities. In late 2007, the National I don’t know if people currently understand us. However, we offer so much more that costs Park Service gave us the green light and a short the important role ferries can play in their daily nothing – the beautiful skylines and sunsets, timeline to launch a service covering the Statue commute. There is the perception that boats and it really improves employee morale.• 130 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2016 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 39, NUMBER 4