The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) hosted its first ASTA Globes awards ceremony and gala on Jan. 22 at the Palmer House, a historic hotel in Chicago.
The event honored trailblazers and lifetime achievers in the travel space, including an Emerging Leaders Award for eight advisors and three new ASTA Hall of Fame inductees: Valerie Wilson, CEO of Valerie Wilson Travel; Mike Julius, recently retired from Carnival Cruise Line; and Roger Block, former president of Travel Leaders Network and a past chair of the ASTA Board of Directors. In addition to individual awards, organizations were honored for their contributions to professionalism, advocacy and innovation.
“Travel advisors are the backbone of this industry, and the ASTA Globes recognize those who lead with purpose and raise the bar for our profession,” said Zane Kerby, president and CEO of ASTA. “This year’s honorees represent the leaders and partners who advocate for advisors and move our community forward through action, integrity and impact.”
Below are just a few of the winners who were honored during the ASTA Globes awards ceremony. For the full list of winners, visit ASTA's website.
ASTA Hall of Fame
- Valerie Wilson - Valerie Wilson Travel
- Mike Julius - Carnival Cruise Line
- Roger Block - Travel Leaders Network
ASTA Rising Scholar Award
- Jonathan Alder - TravelStore
ASTA Mentorship Excellence Award
- Nadia “Sparkle” Henry - Travel With Sparkle
ASTA Michelle Mueller Educational Leadership Award
- Gina Weyer - Signature Travel Network
ASTA Advisor Community Impact Award
- Signature Travel Network
ASTA Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award
- Helen Enriquez - Akasha Travel Partners
ASTA President's Travel Advisor Leadership Award
- Christina Pedroni - Envoyage
ASTA Emerging Leaders Awards:
- Amy Thomasson
- McLean Robbins
- Savannah Hill
- Kristin Hancock
- Sam Johnson
- Megan Love
- Tiffany Elberfeld
- Shannon Kittner
