Latest news with #CatherinePowell
Travel Weekly
30-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
With Rudi Schreiner passing the torch, a new era begins at AmaWaterways
It was Taco Tuesday, a weekly tradition Rudi Schreiner likes to observe when he's home in Calabasas, Calif., and not traveling the world. He was enjoying the Mexican fare at Sagebrush Cantina alongside Kristin Karst, his wife and a co-founder of AmaWaterways, and other company executives when he decided to spill the beans: He was stepping down as CEO. "We had a plan and step-by-step for how we were going to announce it, but I blurted it out and announced it," he said. "Even Kristin was surprised." Schreiner will stay involved with the company as board chairman, where he will discuss future opportunities and serve in an advisory role. Catherine Powell, who joined the river cruise line earlier this year as president, will become CEO on July 1. Karst, who had served as executive vice president until Powell's hiring, transitioned to chief brand ambassador earlier this year. "It really is the perfect time," Schreiner said during an interview. "I am 73. It is time for me to settle down a little bit. I started the company on July 1, 2002, so exactly 23 years later, on July 1, 2025, I'm stepping down." Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst in the first year of AmaWaterways' operations. They and the late Jimmy Murphy founded the river cruise line in 2002. Photo Credit: AmaWaterways Schreiner, who has been hailed as an industry godfather -- he and Karst received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Travel Weekly in 2019 -- has had a long career on the world's rivers. This has included time at Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Viking, which he left to launch AmaWaterways alongside Karst and the late Jimmy Murphy. He said he felt he was ending his career on a high note with the launch of river cruising in Colombia. AmaWaterways in April debuted the AmaMagdalena, the first luxury river ship on Colombia's Magdalena River. The line plans to launch a second ship on the river this fall. The introduction of river cruising in Colombia was challenging, Schreiner said, including with infrastructure and building relationships with officials. Pulling it off was a feat, he said. "I feel like that's the highlight of my career," he said. "I'm completed with this project. I don't want to start any major new projects." Though he said he does not want to launch any future projects at the company, he still has his eye on potential expansion, including possibly to India and the Congo. "The growth will continue," he said. Now, Powell will lead the company, which says it is already on track to break booking records in 2026, when it has two ships debuting. AmaWaterways co-founders Kristin Karst and Rudi Schreiner in 2022 on the AmaLucia. Photo Credit: AmaWaterways Powell joined a growing company that is poised for even more expansion. Before that, she was global head of hosting at Airbnb and also spent 15-plus years at the Walt Disney Co., including stints as president of Disney Parks Western Region and president of Disneyland Paris. In a statement, Powell called Schreiner an "icon in the industry" and praised his "passion and pioneering spirit," which "have shaped AmaWaterways into the exceptional brand it is today." "As I step into this role, I am committed to honoring their legacy by thoughtfully and sustainably growing the company -- driving innovation, expanding our global footprint and deepening connections with the local communities we visit," she said. "I'm excited to work with the talented AmaWaterways team to build on Rudi's legacy and welcome new generations of travelers to experience the magic and spirit of our cruises."
Travel Daily News
30-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
AmaWaterways announces new CEO
AmaWaterways appoints Catherine Powell as CEO, with co-founder Rudi Schreiner transitioning to Chairman, marking a leadership shift for future growth. CALABASAS, CA – AmaWaterways, a leading luxury river cruise line, announced that the current CEO and co-founder Rudi Schreiner is transitioning to a new role as Chairman of the Board. President Catherine Powell will step up as the company's Chief Executive Officer from July 1st with Mr. Schreiner continuing to support her in this new role. Company co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst will remain on the AmaWaterways board and Ms. Karst will continue in her role as Global Brand Ambassador. 'We are so excited about what we have been building – internationally with new markets, new passengers and, frankly, a whole new generation of river cruisers. I am delighted that we are investing in the kind of leadership Catherine brings to the company. It's a real inflection point, and I couldn't be prouder,' said Mr. Schreiner. 'Rudi and I poured our hearts into building AmaWaterways – a company shaped by passion, innovation and strong personal connections. As we take this next step forward, we're thrilled to welcome Catherine as CEO. Her global experience and leadership style reflect the values that have guided us from the beginning. I'm excited for the future and grateful to keep focusing on what I love most – nurturing the relationships with our travel partners, our guests and the local communities we visit, cultivating the shared success that comes from growing together,' said Ms. Karst 'This is a dynamic moment of both growth and transformation for AmaWaterways and for the river cruising industry writ large,' said Ms. Powell. 'Rudi is an icon in the industry, whose pioneering vision has shaped river cruising. From the design of the ships to every detail of the experience on board and on shore, Rudi has touched the lives of all the guests who have sailed with us. I am honored to be taking the mantle from Rudi and steering this incredible company into its next exciting chapter building on his legacy.' Ms. Powell was appointed President early this year, and brings an expansive view to the company, one that will continue to build on the evolution of AmaWaterways as a category pioneer and leader in this industry. AmaWaterways is widely recognized for its outstanding service both onboard and onshore. 'We extend our deepest appreciation for the remarkable vision and leadership that Rudi and Kristin have demonstrated in building AmaWaterways. Since the company's inception in 2002, they have established AmaWaterways as a beloved and highly coveted brand within the river cruising industry. Looking ahead, we foresee significant growth opportunities. The company is strategically expanding into new destinations and markets while making substantial investments in technology, digital platforms, and elevated customer experiences. These initiatives will ensure that AmaWaterways remains well-positioned for long-term success in the evolving landscape of travel,' said Jennifer Reid, Director of AmaWaterways and Partner at L Catterton. Director of AmaWaterways and Managing Partner at L Catterton, Marc Magliacano went on to say 'We are confident that Catherine's deep experience in the travel industry and track-record of growth and success from her roles at both Disney and Airbnb make her uniquely suited to guide the company forward into the next phase of its journey. She understands the changing customer landscape and shifting consumer demand regarding how people want to travel and to experience luxury in a way that will drive the company forward, and that will meet growing expectations and the market's demand for high-end travel experiences.'
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Vampire Diaries star Candice King reveals engagement to Originals actor Steven Krueger and shows off ring
Candice King is engaged to fellow actor Steven Krueger. The Vampire Diaries star, 38, revealed the happy news to her Instagram followers on Wednesday, sharing loved up snaps with her fiancé, 35. The actress — who's been dating Krueger since 2023 — shared six engagement photographs, captured by Catherine Powell at Martha My Dear, their favorite cocktail bar in Nashville. One photo showed a close-up of her impressive square-shaped diamond ring. King played vampire Caroline Forbes on CW's hit TV show The Vampire Diaries, while Krueger played the vampire Josh Rosza on the spinoff series The Originals. 'I think 38 just might be my favorite year yet. A couple of weeks ago @stevenakrueger gave me the best gift of all when he asked me to marry him,' she wrote in the caption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Candice King (@candiceking) Candice King is engaged to actor Steven Krueger. The Vampire Diaries star, 38, revealed the news to her Instagram followers on Wednesday, sharing loved up snaps with her fiancé, 35 'The privilege of getting older is much sweeter knowing I get to share it with you Steven. Thank you for asking me to dance through life with you.' 'And thank you to everyone for the kind birthday wishes.' The engagement photos featured Candice in a sophisticated white dress, cinched at the waist with a bow. She paired the look with white heels. Meanwhile Steven sported a black suit with a white t-shirt underneath. Their fans and friends were thrilled for the couple. The Vampire Diaries alum Nina Dobrev wrote, 'Congratulations' along with a number of happy emojis. She played King's character's best friend Elena Gilbert in the show. Fellow Vampire Diaries actor Michael Trevino wrote, 'Woo Hoo!!!! Love IT! ❤️' Their fans and friends were thrilled for the couple. The Vampire Diaries alum Nina Dobrev wrote, 'Congratulations' along with a number of happy emojis Their Originals co-star Riley Voelkel wrote, 'Omg screaming!!!! So happy for you both!!!!' Their other Originals co-star Claire Holt wrote, 'So happy for you both.' Danielle Campbell added, 'so excited for you two.' Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt wrote, 'Congrats!!!' Meanwhile the official Vampire Diaries account left three black heart emojis to celebrate the union. Candice and Steven's paths reportedly crossed again on multiple occasions at fan events and conventions throughout the years. In December 2023, Candice revealed that she and Steven were dating. She posted a compilation video that featured a clip of them sharing a kiss. 'I laughed. I cried. I laughed til I cried. I loved,' she captioned the post. 'Thanks for the dance 2023.' Prior to this engagement, King was married to Joe King, the guitarist for The Fray. They were married from 2014 until 2022, and share two daughters, Florence and Josephine. Candice played Caroline for the entire run of The Vampire Diaries, which aired for eight seasons from 2009 until 2017. She reprised the role for the final season of the spin-off series The Originals in 2018 and made a guest appearance in the final season of the other spin-off series, Legacies, in 2022. Meanwhile Steven played Josh in The Originals for five seasons, from 2013 until 2018. Krueger is currently playing Coach Ben Scott in the Showtime series Yellowjackets.
BBC News
18-02-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Farnham: Hundreds of HGVs breaching ban through Surrey village
Council data reveals that hundreds of lorries are driving through a Surrey village, despite a ban being in goods vehicles (HGVs) weighing more than 7.5 tonnes have been banned from driving through Hale, near Farnham, since say they are worried about risks to safety on narrow roads and pavements, as well as high levels of County Council has been contacted for a comment. There is a camera car which monitors Upper Hale Road, with penalty charge notices (PCNs) being introduced in September then, there have been 14 PCNs, as well as 324 warning notices/letters, issued across Surrey for breaches of the weight from the camera shows that on a single day on 12 December 2024 there were 135 HGVs along Upper Hale Catherine Powell, from the Farnham Residents Group, said she was concerned someone would get seriously hurt if action was not taken."We still don't have a fixed camera in place," she told BBC Radio Surrey."We now have a mobile camera that comes some of the time, but it is still not here all of the time. We are still getting a lot of breaches, particularly at night now, and at this time of year, that is even more dangerous."Elliot Russo, who lives on Upper Hale Road, said: "Where I live…there is no pedestrian crossing, so actually you take your life in your hands, just crossing the road from our house to the local park. "With two small kids, that's terrible. With regular traffic, that's bad. With HGVs, that's really scary." At a meeting on 4 February, Surrey County Council said it was planning to improve advance warning signs in the area and deploy the camera car as frequently as possible over coming said it had also recently contacted sat nav companies that provide specialist HGV navigation systems to make sure they have the information concerning the restrictions.A Road Haulage Association spokesperson said: "Weight limits are in place for a reason so we urge lorry drivers to follow signage and directions to ensure they're using the right roads."
