Signature Celebrates 50th Birthday
Signature Travel Network, the Southern California-based agent
consortium, celebrated its 50th birthday last week at its annual
Sales Meeting and Trade Show held at the Hyatt Regency Century
Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. On hand were over 1,500 agents and
suppliers, including some of Signature’s top sellers (shown above,
left to right): Bobbie Abood (All-Travel, Los Angeles), Betty Cox
(Travel Concepts, Fountain Valley, Calif.), Sherri Carnefix (Town
& Country Travel, Sacramento, Calif.) and Barbara Matles
(Robinson Travel Service Inc., Manhattan Beach, Calif.).
The high-energy event featured seminars, presentations by sponsors
and a birthday cake for the organization, followed by streamers and
noisemakers a la New Year’s Eve.
Signature’s president, Michelle Morgan, hosted the conference, and
in a statement said: “We are dedicated to growing the individual
businesses of our members and doing what our founders did 50 years
ago ... deliver exceptional service to their clients.”
(Note: A more detailed report on this event is currently available
online at TravelAgeWest.com.)
Harding Moves to ResortQuest
Gail Harding is leaving Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau to
join ResortQuest Hawaii as assistant director of marketing. In her
new position, Harding will manage the execution of marketing
activities for the company’s 28 properties. Additionally, she will
supervise the resort chain’s advertising, public relations programs
and promotions staff, among other responsibilities.
A Hawaii native, Harding has more than 25 years of experience in
marketing and communications.
Las Ventanas Gets New Managing Director
Las Ventanas al Paraiso, a Rosewood Resort, has appointed Andres
Araya as the new managing director. Araya has worked at Las
Ventanas for two years as the resort manager and has 20 years of
experience in the hospitality industry.
Before joining Las Ventanas in 2003, Araya was the executive
assistant manager/director of food & beverage at the Ajman
Kempinski Hotel & Resort in the United Arab Emirates. He has
also held positions at the Conrad Cairo Hotel and Casino, the St.
Regis Aspen and the Sheraton Maria Isabel in Mexico City.
“Identifying the needs and desires of each guest and then filling
them is our mission at Las Ventanas,” said Araya.
New GM at Vail Lodge
Frank Johnson, a longtime Vail local and active community leader,
has been appointed general manager at the Vail Mountain Lodge and
Spa. He will manage the newly renovated lodge and spa, the Vail
Athletic Club and the restaurant Terra Bistro.
Johnson has an extensive background in hotel management and
marketing and was most recently president of the Vail Valley
Chamber and Tourism Bureau, where he was a driving force in
organizing community businesses and increasing
visitor occupancy.
