After 32 years at the helm of one of Portland’s most iconic waterfront companies, Dan Yates is stepping back. The co-founder of Portland Spirit Cruises & Events has transitioned out of the president role, with longtime employee and former general manager Dennis Corwin taking over as the new president and Mindy Dean-Caldwell stepping in as general manager, the company confirmed to What Now Portland.
Yates isn’t disappearing entirely. He will remain on the board and continue leading strategic projects, most notably the proposed restaurant at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, where Portland Spirit has applied to transform the historic Rose Building at 1020 SW Naito Parkway into a full-service restaurant with a sweeping outdoor patio. According to Mandy Morgan, Director of Sales & Marketing, the project is still moving forward, with a clearer update expected by fall.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve as President of Portland Spirit for the last 32 years,” Yates said. “It has been a wild ride and I am incredibly proud of what we have built together. While I still have more to give, I recognized it was time to step aside from day-to-day operations and allow the next generation to lead. Mindy and Dennis are exceptionally well prepared and ready to take the helm.”
Yates, who co-purchased the company on New Year’s Eve 1994 alongside his uncle Wayne Kingsley, built Portland Spirit from a single dinner cruise boat into a multi-vessel hospitality company with a fleet that includes the flagship Portland Spirit, the Willamette Star, and several other event vessels. Under his leadership, the company pioneered the concept of private-table, freshly prepared food on a dinner boat, a model that has since been adopted by riverboat companies across the country.
