Larry Pimentel will guide cruise programming at FIU’s Chaplin School, strengthening the university’s connection to Miami’s maritime economy and hospitality workforce.
Florida International University (FIU) has appointed Larry Pimentel as the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management’s first Distinguished Executive-in-Residence for Cruise, giving the programme a senior industry figure to help shape its international cruise curriculum. Pimentel will advise on cruise industry programming and support the school’s broader focus on research, education and leadership in passenger shipping. The appointment places practical executive experience at the centre of a hospitality programme operating in Miami, a major base for the cruise sector.
Pimentel brings more than three decades of experience across luxury travel and cruising. He has served as chief executive of Azamara, SeaDream Yacht Club, Cunard Line and Seabourn, and most recently was founding president and chief executive of Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings, the joint owner and operator of Four Seasons Yachts. He was also inducted into the British Travel & Hospitality Hall of Fame, according to FIU, which describes him as an authority in the business of passenger shipping.
At the Chaplin School, his role will extend beyond classroom guidance. Pimentel will work with Thatcher Brown, chief executive of Crescent Seas, to help establish a Cruise Advisory Board intended to connect industry executives with FIU faculty and students. The board is expected to provide industry engagement and guidance as the school develops collaboration around ocean, expedition, coastal and river cruising.
The initiative builds on an existing academic specialism. FIU’s Chaplin School offers both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cruise line operations management, while its graduate programme includes a cruise line operations specialisation. The school says its 2030 mission prioritises global thought leadership, student success and industry partnerships, making the executive-in-residence role a direct link between those objectives and the operational knowledge of cruise companies.
For FIU, the appointment also reflects the importance of Miami’s position in the cruise economy. The university identifies Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings among the major US-based cruise lines headquartered in the region, giving students access to a market shaped by large-scale maritime hospitality businesses. Pimentel’s involvement should give the school a more visible industry bridge, while the advisory structure offers a formal channel for executives to influence curriculum and student development.
