Super Agents: Claudia Darling and the ASTA Mid America Chapter Honor Barbara H. Markham

Claudia Darling. Photo: Facebook.

When Barbara Markham’s sister steps up to the podium this week at the ASTA Mid America Chapter meeting at The Greenbrier, she will present a woman devoted to her family, her neighbors, her country, and her travel industry.

“Barbara’s been a relentless advocate for our profession and for the chapter,” said Claudia Darling, president and founder of Darling Travel, Indianapolis, and president of the ASTA Mid America Chapter. “Her passion for this industry is a model for all of us.”

As Mid America chapter president, Darling has been one of the chapter officers who has spearheaded the launch this week of the first-ever Barbara H. Markham Advocacy Award. Darling and her board hope this award will forever honor chapter members who reflect the love and devotion Markham has displayed throughout her ASTA career.

A retired U.S. Navy nurse, Markham, owner of Tempo Travel, Cleveland, has served on the Mid America chapter board in many capacities, most recently and most prominently as ASTA PAC Chairperson. Unfortunately, Markham suffers from a terminal illness and will not be able to attend the chapter meeting, or the award ceremony.

Markham’s generosity extends outside her industry. With her husband, a retired Navy physician, Markham has donated her time to many charities, including providing her medical skills pro bono to Wounded Warrior.

Darling is someone who could very well earn the new award. A native of Ohio, Darling is married, has two children and five grandchildren. She too practiced as a registered nurse, serving in civilian operating rooms and intensive care units for 32 years. Darling entered the travel Industry in 2000 when she started her first travel agency in Milwaukee. 

“Nurses make good travel agents,” Darling said, half joking. “We’re nurturing and detail oriented. You have to be when you’re working in an OR.”

Darling served as vice president of the Chicago Chapter of CTO, and worked tirelessly to raise in excess of $50,000 annually to benefit schools, orphanages, and other worthwhile organizations throughout the Caribbean. “Since we were making a living selling travel to the Caribbean, I thought it would be great if we could give back.” The Chicago chapter would pick a Caribbean charity with specific needs and purchase and ship whatever the group needed. Sometimes it was goods for an orphanage. Another year, a charity needed a van.

Darling moved her agency to Indianapolis in 2008 when she acquired Irvine Travel, and soon joined the ASTA Mid America chapter, where she met Markham. Under her tenure as president the past two years, the Mid America chapter has focused a good deal of its charitable efforts with local non-profits like Maggie’s House in Cleveland.

Recently, the chapter bolstered its members’ awareness through a local, National Public Radio, Public Service Announcement. Funds for the NPR PSA were raised in great part due to Markham’s ASTA PAC efforts.

“Barbara is such a generous person.” said Barbara Mazzola, Mid America Vice President. “This is also a way to honor us as a chapter, to recognize the hard work that our members do to build each other up every year. We’ll be able to bring to the forefront the importance of advocacy, like Barbara did.”