Gail Grimmett Resigns as Head of Travel Leaders’ Luxury Agency Brands

Gail Grimmett, president of Travel Leaders Group’s luxury brands, Protravel International and Tzell Travel Group, announced that she will be leaving the organization in May.

At least for the interim, the two agency groups will be led by their current top executives. For Protravel International, Becky Powell will continue as president, while Cindy Schlansky and Monty Swaney will continue their senior leadership roles at co-presidents at Tzell Travel Group. All three leaders will take on additional responsibilities for strategic direction of the brands working with Travel Leaders Group CEO Ninan Chacko, CTC, the company said in a press statement.

In the position for about two years, Grimmett joined Travel Leaders Group after a long career at Delta Air Lines. While leading Travel Leaders Group’s luxury brands, Grimmett created and helped implement a strategic plan which focused on increasing agent profitability and growing their business. She also oversaw what the company described as “historical highs in recruitment of independent contractors” to the Tzell and Protravel brands and expanded the number of Tzell Travel branches.

Grimmett also worked “to create synergies” between Protravel, Tzell, Andrew Harper Travel, R. Crusoe, Colletts Travel and All Star Travel Group, the company said, and oversaw the growth of Travel Leaders UK and introduced new marketing initiatives including Protravel’s sponsorship of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and the New York Wine & Food Festival.

Powell joined Travel Leaders Group as senior vice president at Andrew Harper Travel and became general manager and COO of Protravel in January of this year. Schlansky has served in various leadership roles at Tzell since 2000 overseeing branch acquisitions, projects, process and change management.

Swaney, who joined Tzell in 2009 handles relationship management, leads independent contractor support, oversees sales efforts and coordinates UK operations.