ASTA Announces New Slate Of Directors And Chapter Presidents
by Richard D’AmbrosioAvoya’s Scott Koepf is one of ASTA’s newly election national directors-at-large. Photo: JD Lasica.
Just weeks in advance of its global conference in Reno, the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) announced the results of its National Board of Directors elections.
Ten candidates ran for the five open at-large seats on the board, one of which was vacant due to the resignation of a director earlier this year. The newly elected directors’ two-year terms will begin at the close of ASTA’s Global Convention in Reno in September.
The newly elected national directors-at-large, in alphabetical order, are:
- Rick Ardis, Ardis Travel
- Betsy Geiser, UNIGLOBE Travel Center
- Scott Koepf, Avoya Travel (and Travel Market Report columnist!) (to serve the one year remaining on resigning director’s term)
- Olga Ramudo, Express Travel
- Gloria Stock Mickelson, Travel Leaders Franchise Group (returning for a second term)
The at-large directors returning to serve a second year of their current term are:
- Jay Ellenby, Safe Harbors Business Travel Group
- Dave Hershberger, Prestige Travel Leaders
- Toni Lanotte-Day, Toni Tours, Inc.
- Eric Maryanov, All Travel
The incumbent Board of Directors convenes in September to elect the new Executive Committee from the above nine directors-at-large. The Executive Committee is comprised of the chairman, vice chairman and secretary, treasurer, and one Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) member Director. ASTA’s president and CEO is an ex-officio non-voting member of the Executive Committee. The new Board will convene for the first time in September at the ASTA Global Convention.
In addition to the nine national directors elected at-large for two-year, staggered terms, ASTA’s bylaws provide for seven additional voting seats on the Board; two Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) members, Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg and Denise Jackson; one NACTA member director, Helen Prochilo; one consortium member director, Alex Sharpe; and the three new area directors, Steve Powers, Laura Rodriguez and Chris Seddelmeyer.
For those chapters that transitioned from election to the appointment process this year, the newly appointed chapter presidents will begin their term at the conclusion of this year’s ASTA Global Convention. The new area directors will actively work with the chapter presidents and ASTA staff to continue to scout local leaders for those areas that are currently without an effective ASTA chapter presence. The newly appointed chapter presidents are listed below.
Chapter Presidents Council
Arizona Chapter- Leila Dada, Cruise Planners
Colorado/Rocky Mountain Chapter- Rob Hale, Travel N Relax
Georgia/Southeast Chapter- Susan Aft, Discount Travel and Cruise
Houston/Southwest Chapter- Mike Weingart, Air Land Sea Consultants
Midwest Chapter- Jesse Guerra, Astro Sports Tours Inc.
Minnesota/Upper Midwest Chapter- Jane Norman, RAZR Marketing
New Jersey Chapter- Joanne Hunt, Pompton Plains Travel
North Carolina Chapter- Crystal Smith, Envoy Travel
St. Louis/Missouri Valley Chapter- John Heimburger, TravelPlex Travel & Cruises
South Carolina Chapter- Rusty Pickett, Shellback Cruises Inc.
Southern California Chapter- Tama Holve, Willett Travel, a Frosch Co.
South Florida Chapter- Jan Hammond, Post Haste Travel
Young Professionals Society- Chris Minoletti, Bay World Travel & Tours
International Chapter Presidents Council
Bulgaria Chapter- Rozalina Kreissl, Mercury-97 Ltd.
Cuba Chapter- Tamas Nagy, Marysol Travel Service S.A.
Egypt Chapter- Anan El Sayed, Passant Travel & Tours
Iceland Chapter- Bjorn Gudmundsson, Cool Inspiration Ltd.
India Chapter- Joshi Sanjeev, Tourism India Management Enterprises Pvt Ltd.
Maldives Chapter- Yoosuf Riffath, Capital Travel & Tours Pvt. Ltd.
Nigeria Chapter- Gbemisola Emmanuella Adeniji, Appu Travels Limited
Turkey Chapter- Pinar Ozbilge, Intra Travel- M.I.C.E.
United Kingdom Chapter – Ken McNab, The Travel Company Edinburgh
The International Chapter Presidents’ Council (ICPC) elected its next ICPC Chair, Catalin Mogoseanu, whom will sit on the Allied Marketing Committee and whose term will begin at the conclusion of this year’s ASTA Global Convention.
