AmaWaterways Co-Founder and Executive Vice President Kristin Karst has earned a coveted spot on Inc.'s 2020 "Female Founders 100" list.
Now in its third year, the list honors 100 women who are building America's businesses. Karst is a pioneer in river cruising and one of the travel industry's leading executives. She also has been a leading, unwavering supporter of the travel agent community since founding AmaWaterways in 2002 with Rudi Schreiner and the late Jimmy Murphy.
"I am honored and truly humbled to be named to this year's Inc. Female Founders 100 list," Karst said. "Ama means love, and the journey of creating and growing AmaWaterways has been a true labor of love. Since co-founding the company more than 18 years ago, I have remained passionate about sharing that spirit of love with everyone who sails on an AmaWaterways river cruise or works as part of our global team in our offices and on board our ships.
"I am so proud of how far the company has come - from one ship to now 25 ships sailing the world's most iconic rivers - and it has been a team effort all along the way. This year has been particularly hard on the travel industry and challenged us as leaders to stay on a positive path, open to new ideas and supporting our travel advisor partners while creating inspirational messages to keep our guests dreaming about future river cruise experiences."
Originally from Dresden, Germany, Karst worked during her school breaks for a travel agency. After earning a degree in hospitality management, followed by an MBA from the University of Dresden, she worked for American Express in Germany and Switzerland for eight years before moving to the U.S. in 1999. She began working for a river cruise line and three years later co-founded AmaWaterways.
Karst focuses on bringing fresh, innovative ideas to the company while leveraging her European heritage, commitment to personalized customer service and passion for health and wellness. Innovations such as bicycles on board, dedicated Wellness Hosts and hosted wine-themed cruises are examples of successful trends that Karst has pioneered. She has been a role model for women within the travel industry and contributed to AmaWaterways' reputation for unwavering support of the travel advisor community.
"We are extremely proud that Kristin has been recognized with this award," Schreiner said. "Her positivity, influence and entrepreneurial spirit can be seen and felt in all areas of our business, including in the young team members she personally mentors to ensure AmaWaterways continues to have a strong, well-rounded and diverse leadership team to successfully navigate unforeseen obstacles now and in the future."
Inc.'s Female Founders 100 issue (November 2020) is available online here and on newsstands beginning Oct. 27.
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