18 May 2009

ACE director to leave after three years - UPDATED

Andy Harmer, widely recognised by the trade as the driving force behind the success of the Association of Cruise Experts and the UK Cruise Convention, is standing down.

He is to leave parent organisation the Passenger Shipping Association in July, shortly after this year’s cruise convention in Dover in June.

Harmer, responsible for launching ACE as its director in 2007, is to become sales and marketing director for Cruise Portfolio with responsibility for Crystal Cruises and Windstar.
PSA director Bill Gibbons paid tribute to Harmer’s achievements and said the search had begun for a replacement.

"Since launching ACE in 2007, Andy, with the support of PSA members, has worked tirelessly to bring the organisation to its now much admired positionwithin the industry," he said.

"His professionalism and dedication has led to a trebling in membership and it was Andy who instigated the annual UK Cruise

Convention, the largest and most successful event of its kind in Europe.

"Andy will be with us until the Association's AGM in July and will continueto manage the Convention which this year takes place in Dover.

"We will very much be carrying of the good work of ACE, looking to expand its activitiesin the future and actively searching for a replacement for Andy.

"That work has already commenced."

by Phil Davies