Executive additions and exits at American Queen Voyages

Mostafa Beshir, VP finance & accounting, is going to leave, and Jason O'Keefe, senior director of marketing, has exited.

American Queen Voyages President Cindy D'Aoust announced the appointments, who all report directly to her.

Angela Composto

Composto brings more than 20 years of cruise industry experience. Most recently she was chief marketing officer at Chief Outsiders and founded her own marketing company. Previously she was SVP sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and VP marketing at Crystal Cruises and Silversea Cruises.

Composto told Seatrade Cruise News she's pleased to reconnect with colleagues from her past companies who are now at American Queen Voyages. She was drawn to the brand because 'the people are passionate and love the product' and close-to-home cruising is a new experience for her.

She added: 'True luxury is the experience — how you make a customer feel — and these [American Queen] customers feel so well taken care of on these vessels that are all unique, like boutique hotels.'

Composto is just starting to 'dig into everything,' listening to her team and assessing the marketing before determining any different organization or direction. Though O'Keefe left, Composto said the marketing group isn't downsizing but will be 'accelerating.'

John Kingston

Kingston, who brings more than 25 years of human resources experience at leading hospitality companies across the US, fills the HR role previously held by Christina Hobbs, who exited in October. He's responsible for all HR functions, shoreside and shipboard.

Kingston most recently was regional director of HR for Dimension Hospitality and previously held regional HR leadership positions with high-profile resort properties including Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, Benchmark Hospitality Company: The Villas at Grand Cypress, JW Marriott & Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Grande Lakes Orlando and the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center in Nashville.   

Alex Dormoi

As project management officer, a new position, Dormoi will work closely with D'Aoust to implement business-critical initiatives and develop tactical plans to organically grow individual business units.

Dormoi previously was senior consultant, business strategy & planning for Anew Recruit. Additionally, he served as VP strategy and business operations for Alpha Plus Transportation.

Mostafa Beshir and Jason O'Keefe

American Queen Voyages had no comment on the departures of Mostafa Beshir, who joined in September from Atlas Ocean Voyages, where he was senior director of finance, or Jason O'Keefe, a seasoned marketer who'd been with the company more than a year.

Beshir's prior experience of over 20 years in the hospitality, service and consumer products industries includes senior director of finance at Carnival Corp. & plc.

O'Keefe previously spent nearly 11 years at Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Earlier roles were with World Travel Holdings, Silversea and Omega World Travel.