Bob Lepisto has been named President of SeaDream Yacht Club. He succeeds Larry Pimentel who resigned January 5, 2009 as President and CEO.
The announcement was made by Atle Brynestad, Chairman and owner of SeaDream, who has assumed the additional role of CEO of the ultra-luxury passenger shipping company.
Lepisto has been Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Sales for SeaDream since the company was founded in the fall of 2001. He continues with those responsibilities in his new role as President.
In making the announcement Brynestad, a Norwegian businessman with long time interests in passenger shipping, said �Bob Lepisto is a highly experienced senior travel executive who has been part of the phenomenal growth and success of SeaDream Yacht Club since its founding.
�I know all of my SeaDream Yacht Club colleagues--- both on our vessels and ashore--- share my enthusiasm for him in his new position and are confident of our continued success with him as President,� Brynestad added.
Robert W. Lepisto was part of the original SeaDream team in September 2001 that was responsible for the launch and development of the company.
Prior to joining SeaDream he was Vice President of Sales, the Americas for Cunard Line Ltd. There he was responsible for both Cunard Line and Seabourn Cruise Line, both operating under the Carnival Corp banner.
Lepisto served as President of the Institute of Certified travel Agents (ICTA) from 1994 to 1999. He joined ICTA following a 22-year career as a sales executive with Continental Airlines.
He was voted one of Travel Agent Magazine�s �People of the Year� for 1998 and was also honored by Leisure Travel News as one of the �25 Most Influential Travel Executives� in 1999 and 2000.
Lepisto is a graduate of San Diego State University. He and wife Cathy reside in Miami and have three daughters.