Kasey Austin-Morrissey Austin Adventures
Kasey Austin-Morrissey Credit: Austin Adventures

BILLINGS, Mont. — After decades of running his company, Austin Adventures’ founder and CEO Dan Austin is ready to make a change. Luckily, he has been grooming someone to run operations for the company for some 30 years — his daughter Kasey Austin-Morrissey.

“While I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, it made perfect sense to elevate Kasey to the position of president,” Austin said. “When it comes to this company, no one is more experienced than she is. I mean, she was literally born into it.”

Austin noted that Austin-Morrissey guided her first trip at the age of six. It was an itinerary in Yellowstone and the guides gave her a ‘Rookie of the Year’ trophy that she still proudly displays in her office. Twenty-four years later, Kasey now trains and manages the company’s entire guide team of dozens of guides from all corners of the globe.

Austin-Morrissey’s accolades didn’t stop with her trophy. Further recognition included:

  • Named the world’s top family travel guide by Outside Magazine (2014)
  • Recognized by Vacation Agent magazine as a “2012 Rising Star in the Tourism Industry
  • Named a “40 under Forty” by the Billings Gazette
  • Graduated with honors from the Davidson Honors College at the University of Montana (Missoula, Mont.)

“I’m thrilled (and extremely fortunate) to get to follow in the trail blazed by my dad,” said Austin-Morrissey. “I’ve got some very big hiking boots to fill but I’ll continue to learn from him as my CEO — until the day that he’s finally ready to step aside and let me take over entirely.”

Austin will stay on as CEO to provide the company vision and direction, while his daughter will be responsible for day-to-day management decisions and strategies.

To further support Austin-Morrissey, Austin Adventures also added additional support positions to her operations team, including promoting 18-year company veteran Christy Hamill to logistics manager.

Austin added, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, “Kasey will be outstanding in this role. She knows literally everything about this company and there is no one that I would trust more with the day-to-day operations of this brand. She’ll do exceptionally well, as she always does … especially if she stays true to my vision….”

About Austin Adventures

Based in Billings, Montana, Austin Adventures has spent more than 35 years building an international reputation as a top provider of luxury, small group, multisport tours for adults and families to the world’s most captivating destinations. Austin Adventures has perfected the art of creating one-of-a-kind itineraries featuring exceptional regional dining, distinctive accommodations, incredible guides and exhilarating activities, all while keeping all-inclusive rates and services the norm. In addition to scheduled group departures on all seven continents, Austin Adventures has developed a reputation as the leader in customized trip planning and execution. All are backed by the industry’s best money-back satisfaction guarantee.