About The Boat Company

History

/ by Hunter McIntosh

In the early 1950s my father, Michael McIntosh, Sr., spent several summers in Southeast Alaska working on a salmon boat owned by The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P), a company started by our forbears. From that experience, the memories of Southeast’s wild and awesome beauty never faded.

The memories of Southeast’s wild and awesome beauty never faded.

As a result, in 1979, my parents put together a group of friends (fellow foundation trustees, heads of conservation groups etc.), chartered an ex-Canadian minesweeper out of Vancouver, and headed up the coast on a two-week journey to revisit the area. Any concern about cohabiting on a boat soon disappeared, as they all became totally subsumed by the grandeur of the area.

Shortly after that trip he bought an old wooden-hulled ex-US Navy minesweeper (the M/V OBSERVER), converted it for use as a tour boat and set out to introduce as many people as he could to Southeast Alaska and its need for conservation—and so was birthed, The Boat Company.

The Boat Company began as, and remains, a not-for-profit.

Michael McIntosh, Sr. / Founder of The Boat Company

Our Mission is to explore and protect Southeast Alaska.

We cruise the Tongass National Forest with the intent of introducing people, in an intimate way, to one of the world’s greatest places, in hopes that they too will feel this area is worth conserving for generations to come.

Our explorations are thoughtfully designed to immerse our passengers in their own experiences of Southeast Alaska, whether fishing, wildlife viewing, hiking by day, while also enjoying gourmet meals, fine wines and private cabins at night.

As the only nonprofit cruise line in the world, The Boat Company is actively addressing the conservation of Southeast Alaska in the halls of Congress and other governmental agencies.

Meet Our Office Team

Our core operations on the ground is comprised of genuinely kind-hearted, long-standing relationships with people we call family.

The team on our boats is quite too long to list here, but be assured that they cannot wait to meet you in person!

Hunter McIntosh The Boat Company Nonprofit Eco Cruise Line Alaska

President & Executive Director
Hunter Hartford McIntosh, President, is a true guardian of the environment and is passionate about sustainability and working to create commercially viable industries in eco-tourism and the fishing community. He is inspired by a family legacy of environmental education, philanthropy and conservation that protects our natural resources for future generations. Hunter is steadfast on preserving nature through his work with at The Boat Company.
Hunter is proudly carrying on the family legacy of conservation and shares The Boat Company’s vision at national conferences where he has spoken on the topic of Sustainable Tourism. He has been a speaker at the World Green Energy Symposium on multiple occasions, The International Ecotourism Society Annual Conference, as well as the American Society of Travel Agents Cruise West Symposium, and Cruise World (the largest single conference dedicated to cruise travel in the United States).
While he prides carrying on the family legacy of cruising and conservation, his greatest joy is experiencing new places and new things with his wife Amber and daughter Aspen.

Senior Vice President
Born with a natural inclination for hospitality, Amber embarked on her professional career in the hotel industry, starting with a Marriott-managed winery in Georgia, and steadily climbing the ranks with luxury hotels across the country through her dedication and strategic vision. Recognizing her knack for optimizing revenue streams and her ability to navigate the intricate landscape of the hospitality industry, Amber was subsequently appointed to the executive level.
Once introduced to Alaska and driven by a desire to make a positive impact on the environment, Amber made a pivotal career transition to join The Boat Company. As Vice President, she seamlessly blends her hospitality acumen with her commitment to sustainability, spearheading initiatives that not only enhance the guest experience but also prioritize the preservation of Alaska's breathtaking ecosystems.
In her role, Amber continues to shape the future of sustainable tourism in Alaska, leaving an indelible mark on both the travel industry and the environment she holds dear. Her journey reflects a seamless integration of her passion for hospitality, commitment to responsible business practices, and dedication to preserving the natural wonders of the Last Frontier.

Environmental Attorney & Policy Advisor
Alaska Conservation and Permitting Director Paul Olson worked for The Boat Company as a contractor/private attorney for over a decade before formally joining our staff this year.
Paul has commercial fished in Southeast Alaska since his childhood during the 1970s, and has operated a commercial salmon troller since the 1990s. Paul has a bit of a king salmon problem. He took periodic breaks from fishing during the early 2000s in order to obtain a law degree from the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark University in Portland, Oregon. Since that time he has continued to fish while moonlighting as a private attorney, doing conservation work for The Boat Company and our partners involved in defending the Tongass National Forest from industrial logging and working to reduce the impacts of trawl bycatch on Alaska’s sport, subsistence, and sustainable small boat commercial fisheries.
When long-time Boat Company captain, Conservation Director and permit administrator Joel Hanson retired over five years ago, we asked Paul to step in and help with all the filing, permitting, reporting and other work needed to ensure our clients can access the remote recreation experiences in Alaska. Paul has caught bigger fish. Ask him for a story on the dock if you see him meeting the Liseron or Mist Cove in port.

Vice President for Reservations & Guest Services
Kathy began with The Boat Company in 1990, working on the M/V Liseron while it was being converted from a minesweeper into the beauty the vessel is today. Kathy was an assistant chef for one year and chief steward for five years. She lived aboard year-round and did lots and lots of varnishing!
Though she was resistant to moving off of the boat and into the office, she ultimately settled into her position where she handles all guest reservations with a personal touch. Her in-depth knowledge of everything The Boat Company is invaluable.
Kathy finds great joy in helping guests prepare for what she knows will be their “trip of a lifetime.”
Kathy has boats in her blood. She delivered powerboats down the intracoastal, sailboats to the Caribbean, and spent winters living aboard working charters in the Virgin Islands.
In her spare time, Kathy can be found anywhere outdoors!

Director of Reservations & Office Manager
Miri started as a summer intern in the reservations office in 2012 and grew into an indispensable member of the team.
She keeps the office humming and works side-by-side with Kathy Nissley. Among other duties, Miri makes sure your trip details match up with your arrival and departure dates, your hotel reservation dates, and that your registration information makes it into crew reports. She is responsible for ensuring each trip is as smooth as possible.
Miri has a BA from Evergreen College. She has two dogs, Bailey and Ruby, who are an integral part of the office, bringing much laughter and joy. They love turkey treats! She is a sports aficionado, knowing stats about virtually all sports.

Vice President, Conservation & Development
Chris serves as our Vice President for Conservation and Development. She first came to Alaska at the age of 19 driving her pick-up from the lower 48 on the then unpaved Alaska-Canada Highway. After a season working in a Kenai salmon cannery she earned enough money to travel the Great Land. The rest is history… she was “hooked”.
Chris has spent over two decades working in Alaska (when she is lucky) and on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Her career has focused on wild salmon and land preservation most notably the Tongass National Forest, Alaskan Arctic and Bristol Bay. Chris has also partnered with non-profits at the international level in Russia, Japan, and South Korea.
She has been employed by Trout Unlimited Alaska, Wild Salmon Center, Alaska Rainforest Campaign, Alaska Coalition, National Trust for Historic Preservation as well as the Conservation Lands Foundation. She led the Alaska Rainforest Campaign’s successful effort to include the 17 million acre Tongass National Forest in the Presidential Roadless Rule. She has partnered with The Boat Company to bring federal level decision makers and their staff on many boat trips to see and experience the places deserving of permanent protection up close.
Prior to joining The Boat Company, she spent 8 years running her own consulting firm. She holds a BA in Environmental Studies from University of Colorado, Boulder and an MS in International Environmental Policy from American University in Washington DC. No longer walking the halls of Congress on a daily basis, Chris continues to enjoy hiking, biking, camping and fly-fishing. She currently resides in Silver Spring, MD.

Director of Food & Service
April began her journey with The Boat Company in 2006 as a chef on the Liseron. After taking a few years off to work offshore and in the Bering Sea on fishing vessels, she returned and continued as head chef on both the Mist Cove and Liseron. April was promoted to the director position in Poulsbo in January 2023.
She is well known for her sumptuous dishes, utilizing a wide array of ingredients. She enjoys interacting with Boat Company passengers to create menus for the week, especially cooking tasty dishes using “catch of the day” seafood donated by passengers.
Pantry cooking is a fun challenge that she really enjoys! Her favorite season is fall — soups and comfort foods.
April’s two Pomeranians, Peanut and Mogi, add much joy and laughter to the office. She enjoys being outdoors in nature and has traveled extensively.

Bookkeeper & Human Resources
Drenda has been doing bookkeeping and accounting for over 35 years for various private companies and CPA firms. She joined The Boat Company in January 2023 after preparing the company’s accounting for several prior years at a CPA firm.
With a previous interest in bowling, Drenda traveled to many national and state tournaments, and won a Pro-Am tournament in Homestead, Florida! She then retired from bowling and moved to Kentucky to spend more time with her twin grandchildren and attend their sporting events.
Drenda looks forward to years of enjoyment working remotely with The Boat Company team.