The man who led Seattle-based Holland America Line through years of steady growth and significant impact to the local economy has earned a prestigious Puget Sound award. Business and community leaders honored former Holland America Line CEO, A. Kirk Lanterman, with the Puget Sound Maritime Person of the Year award for 2005. Lanterman received the award on May 11, at the 54th annual Seattle Maritime Festival Luncheon. The Puget Sound Maritime Press Association began bestowing the honor to individuals in 1951 to recognize long and distinguished careers and specific achievements benefiting the local maritime community.
From 1983 to 2004, Lanterman led Holland America Line from a fledgling company to employing more than 15,000 worldwide and into one of the world’s premium cruise lines with bookings of more than one billion dollars.
“Kirk Lanterman has an exemplary track record of increasing and protecting local jobs, forging tourism partnerships between Seattle and the Pacific Northwest and pioneering development of Seattle’s port,” said Stein Kruse, Holland America Line president and CEO.
“He is widely recognized as a true innovator and icon in the cruise industry,” said U.S. Senator Patty Murray.
Lanterman and his family still reside in the Puget Sound area. He is a Korean War Veteran and alumnus of the University of Washington. He recently received an
honorary doctorate from the University of Mary in North Dakota. In 2003, he was honored by Her Royal Majesty, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands by being made an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau, the Netherlands’ highest civilian honor, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in his field of work and for his service to the people of the Netherlands and its Royal Family.