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The WINiT Welcoming Committee
Orlando, Fla. — WomenInTravel (WINiT), a network of women and men providing career development services to women in the travel, meeting, event management, and exhibition management industries, celebrates the success of its second Annual Summit this past July at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Orlando, Florida. WINiT’s Annual Summit, which was a sold-out event, brought together its members to showcase and celebrate the impact WINiT has had on the advancement of women in the various industries it serves.
Executives representing key industry organizations shared success stories and led provocative discussions on both industry topics as well as women in the workplace. Featured speakers included Doug Anderson, president and CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel; John Snyder, global president and CEO of BCD Travel; Norma Corio, CFO of American Express Global Business Travel (GBT); and Jennifer Hill, former CFO of Merrill Lynch.
“We were thrilled to have hosted the second Annual Summit. The event marked the anniversary of the launch of WINiT, which is an exciting milestone. Most importantly, it brought together the women and men who comprise the organization and who, together, have already been a part of driving measurable progress for women in our industries,” said Dawn Repoli, WINiT’s director of program management.
WINiT operates based on generous donations from a variety of both corporate and individual donors. WiNiT’s Premier Donors, who contribute $100,000 or more, include: American Express Global Business Travel, American Express, Concur/Steve Singh, and Delta Air Lines. WINiT’s Champion Donors, who donate $50,000 or more, include Carlson Wagonlit and United Airlines. To further its reach and services to its members, WINiT has formed cooperative relationships with the Global Business Travel Association Foundation (GBTA), Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), and Business Travel News (BTN). Membership is complimentary.
"We congratulate WINiT on [its] successful 2nd Annual Summit. WINiT provides vital and necessary career development services that reach across gender and industry borders. GBTA is proud to be a partner and supporter of the curriculum provided to our joint community,” said Michael McCormick, GBTA executive director and COO.
Visit womenintravel.org for more information.
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Riverside, Calif. — Industry veteran John MacKinney has joined the Grech Motors team as a senior sales executive. MacKinney brings more than 15 years of sales and customer service experience to the luxury midsize bus manufacturer, which is considered a leading innovator in the coachbuilding world.
“The staff at Grech Motors has been my professional family for most of my adult life, and being part of this family is where I belong,” MacKinney said. “I’m excited to see a product that in just three short years has shifted the paradigm of luxury bus design and manufacturing. While everyone else tries to play catch-up, Grech continues to drive innovation. It is truly more than just a ‘pretty’ bus. The Grech product is as advertised: beautiful, durable, and the finest luxury midsize bus in the industry.”
John MacKinney, Grech Senior Sales Executive
MacKinney joins sales veterans Marty Vitelli, Rene Martinez, Kaye Marseilles, Larry Olivarez, Tina Clark, and Michael Campos, under the leadership of CEO Ed Grech, Vice President of Operations John Beck, and Vice President of Sales & Marketing AJ Thurber.
“John has a strong background in the world of bus manufacturing and sales, and we’re very happy to announce him as the newest member of our sales team,” said Grech. “Our organization’s mission is to build the best products and offer the best service and support to our clients, and we set the bar even higher with John’s experience, insight, and relationships.”
“John’s long history with the Grech Motors team makes him a great fit within our company and culture,” said Beck. “Our commitment to offering the highest quality vehicles to operators is strengthened by his arrival.”
“After a breaking company sales records in the first three quarters of 2015, we are excited to achieve even greater success and offer even better service and support to our client base with the addition of John to the team,” said Thurber. “We are inspired by his passion for buses and customer service.”
MacKinney will be based out of Kansas and can be reached directly via email at jmac@grechmotors.com or his cell phone 714.614.0448.
Visit grechmotors.com for more information.
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Jorge and Rocio Sanchez‚ president and vice president of Hermes Worldwide, which recently ranked on the Inc. 5000 list
Denver — More than four months ago, Jorge Sanchez submitted an application in the hopes that Hermes Worldwide ranked among the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the country.
And when the Inc. 5000 list (inc.com/inc5000) was released earlier this month, Sanchez was thrilled to see that Hermes made its debut on the annually announced roster at No. 4,151.
“We're really excited about the recognition and validation of the growth we have been living since our beginning,” said Sanchez, who is president of the Colorado-based Hermes. “We always felt like we were growing rapidly but never knew how we stacked up against other companies regardless of the industry. To get affirmation on a national scale is really exciting for us. We hope to use this recognition to help catapult us to the next level.”
Urged to apply by members of business consulting firm Strategy Leaders, this is the first time in Hermes’ seven-year history that Sanchez has submitted his company for consideration on Inc.’s list.
“I think we may have been able to qualify sooner but it was never really on our radar,” he says. “We were too busy managing our growth and serving our clients that we didn't even think to try to apply for something like this.”
While this is a new first for the company, Hermes has received awards before—a testament to the teamwork that Sanchez says helps the business reach new heights.
“There’s really no one we can overlook,” he said. “This is something that we would not have been able to achieve without our vendors and suppliers—and most importantly not without the commitment from our employees, both current and past. We have to recognize that they’re the ones who helped make all of this possible, that our employees are instrumental in helping us to achieve that success. And our clients, who entrust us with their needs and utilize our services all over the globe, which has really helped us to accelerate our growth.”
Sanchez and his wife Rocio, who’s the vice president of Hermes, will be attending October’s celebratory gala in Orlando, where they will be among those recognized for their company’s ongoing success.
Visit hermesworldwide.com for more information.
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