Ithaca, NY, Terry and Mary MacRae will describe how they built the leading ferry, dining cruise, and charter yacht operation in the United States next Tuesday, October 6, in the Conversations with Entrepreneurs series sponsored by the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at Cornell University. The MacRaes will present from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. in 198 Statler Hall. They will dine with selected students after the event and meet with students, staff, and faculty the following day.

Terry MacRae began Hornblower Cruises & Events in 1980 as a two-boat operation on San Francisco Bay. Since then he and his wife, Mary, have built Hornblower into a 50-boat, $120 million company with 1,000 employees that serves about six million guests each year. Emphasizing customer service, safety, and teamwork, the firm has emerged as the market leader in each of the seven California ports it serves. Hornblower guests are treated to stunning nautical venues and exquisite cuisine for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other major celebrations.

As a result of Hornblower's success in the hospitality and maritime industries, the MacRaes decided to make competitive bids for National Park Service concessions serving the popular icons Alcatraz on San Francisco Bay and Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York Harbor. Alcatraz Cruises commenced service in September of 2006, and Statue Cruises commenced operations in January of 2008. These concessions have contributed to the growth and stability of the company.

In 2008 Alcatraz Cruises launched the nation's first hybrid ferry–a 149-passenger vessel powered by a combination of wind turbines, solar panels, and an efficient diesel electric drive. Hornblower is completing the design and approval for a new hydrogen powered hybrid vessel for use in New York Harbor.

Terry is a recognized expert in the design, renovation, construction, and operation of passenger vessels, and in the marine, fine dining, entertainment, and tourism industries. He holds a BS degree in mechanical/environmental engineering from the California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo. Mary holds a BS degree from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

The Conversations with Entrepreneurs series is sponsored by Hotelie Entrepreneurs, Cornell Hospitality Advisors, and eClips.

About The Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship | An operating unit of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, the institute advances the study and practice of entrepreneurship and innovation in the hospitality industry. Through our network of faculty, industry leaders and entrepreneurs, we give students the knowledge and skills they need to successfully pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. To learn more about the institute, visit: , or contact Tom Ward, managing director, at 607.255.1217 or at [email protected].

Lauren Benfante
607-255-0179
Cornell