TMR Unplugged: Real Talk With… Kathy
This Week’s TMR Unplugged guest is ALG Vacations’ Midwest Director of Sales, Kathy Mehring. She unplugs with TMR to talk about how travel can have a big impact and how ALGV is dedicated to helping travel advisors. Let’s unplug with Kathy:
What is your “why” when it comes to your job?
My “why” is knowing that through partnership and support, I’ve helped agency owners and travel advisors build stronger, more profitable businesses. Being part of their growth journey is incredibly fulfilling.
What’s one destination you could go back to again and again, and why?
I’d go back to Cancún again and again because it represents so many meaningful moments in my life. It’s where my husband and I renewed our wedding vows for our 25th anniversary, where we created incredible family vacation memories, and now it’s a destination I get to experience with my grandchildren. Each visit brings new memories, new experiences, and a deeper appreciation for a place I truly love.
What’s one thing that most travel advisors don’t know about your job?
What advisors often don’t see is the powerful data we have behind the scenes. I work alongside our BDM team, partnering with agency owners and frontline agents to turn sales trends into actionable growth strategies. Whether breaking down advisor‑level profitability or identifying opportunities within an agency, the goal is always to help them become more profitable and make smarter business decisions.
What’s a personal travel experience that has had a big impact on you
One of my most meaningful personal travel experiences was staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia while my niece was undergoing treatment for retinoblastoma. My sister‑in‑law was pregnant at the time, so I traveled with them to help support our family during a very challenging period. What stayed with me just as much as that experience was the incredible support we received from people within the travel industry—colleagues, partners, and friends who showed up with compassion, flexibility, and genuine care. That support meant more than they ever knew. Today, my niece has been cancer‑free for 18 years and is preparing to graduate from college. Experiences like this are why I love the travel industry so much—it’s built on relationships, and when it matters most, those relationships truly show up.
For travel advisors who may not be familiar, what is WAVEMAKER and how do you get started/earn points?
Wavemaker status is an outstanding achievement—earned by the top 1,000 booking advisors.
To become a Wavemaker, start by booking with ALGV. After your first booking, register for the Waves program and earn Wave Points on everything you sell. As your sales grow, you’ll elevate your status—and your earned Wave Points can be redeemed for travel or converted into our virtual Visa to reward yourself.
Beyond points, what are some of the experiences or perks advisors can access through WAVEMAKER?
Beyond being recognized as one of the Top 1,000 Advisors booking ALGV, you are celebrated by our company in many meaningful ways.
You can promote your success using our exclusive Media Toolkit, enjoy discounted ENVF air when attending a FAM trip, and earn exclusive bonus points for your achievements.
In addition, this distinction allows you to proudly promote your status to your customers—showcasing that you are a Top ALGV Advisor, recognized for your expertise, performance, and commitment to excellence.
What has been the most memorable moment of an agency reaching Elite status?
The most powerful moments of reaching Elite, our highest level of recognition for top-performing agencies, come to life in two ways.
First, seeing agency owners and their agents celebrate this achievement shoulder‑to‑shoulder with their BDM—a shared recognition of the hard work, partnership, and growth that made Elite possible.
Second, watching a newly designated Elite agency attend one of our Elite Retreats—networking with other top owners, engaging directly with our executive leadership, exchanging ideas, and returning energized and inspired to pursue even higher Elite goals.
These experiences transform Elite from a milestone into a momentum‑building catalyst for what comes next.
What has been your most memorable Elite Retreat so far, and why?
During our 2024 Diamond Elite trip, one of our most anticipated traditions is the surprise concert—and this year’s reveal was unforgettable. When Dustin Lynch took the stage, the energy was already electric, but what unfolded next turned the night into something truly extraordinary.
We discovered that one of our Diamond Owners, who had just gotten engaged, is a devoted Dustin Lynch fan—and even more incredibly, he sings their song. The moment became deeply personal when we learned that her fiancé had Dustin Lynch’s lyrics from that very song tattooed on his body.
What began as a surprise concert transformed into something that felt almost intentionally orchestrated just for them—a once-in-a-lifetime, romantic experience that resembled a private concert celebrating their love story. It was emotional, magical, and entirely unexpected.
Moments like these remind us why the Diamond Elite experience is so special: sometimes the most meaningful memories are the ones you could never plan but will never forget. An extra sweet twist to the story is that they were married in November of 2025, the very same weekend as my daughter.
How can advisors maximize their partnership with ALGV—and programs like WAVEMAKER—to ultimately drive more revenue and grow their business?
Advisors get the most value from partnerships like ALGV and growth programs such as Wavemaker when they treat them as strategic accelerators—not just vendors or optional programs.
Advisors who get the most value:
- Treat their BDM as a strategic partner
- Ask directly about compensation and growth programs
- Tie programs to clear business objectives, not isolated transactions
