Her Story

My relevant work history, awards and accomplishments

I have been an entrepreneur since the age of seventeen and have owned many successful businesses. In 1994, I was an owner in a growing jewelry business, when two armed robbers stole more than 95% of the inventory and forced the business to close.

Solely responsible for the financial support of my family, I took a job as a telemarketer selling timeshare packages where I became the top salesperson in the company and was responsible for training all new employees. One year later, my grandmother and two small children were involved in a fatal accident that left her dead and the children in critical condition. I was forced to resign this lucrative position to care for my children.

With mortgage and bills due, medical bills mounting and no one to lean on, I searched the newspapers looking for a job that could accommodate this new chapter in my life; one that would give me the passion that I needed while at the same time allow me to telecommute to be near my convalescing children.

It was a nurse I had befriended who posed the question that would change the course of my future. She asked, “If you could do anything in the world that you wanted, what would it be?” I answered, “I’d travel the world.” She suggested that I find a job in the travel business.

One day, I spotted an ad for an outside sales position for a travel agency and that is where my career in the travel business began. On one my rare visits to the office, I discovered, to my surprise, that the business had been shut down and the owner charged with fraud for not paying his bills to the airlines. It was then that I decided that it was time to take my destiny into my own hands. I approached a good friend and asked to share an office while I looked for my own space.

I contacted, what was at the time, the 8th largest travel agency in the Tampa Bay area (whom I found in the Tampa Bay Business Journal list) and struck a deal that would allow me to bring my portfolio of corporate clients but remain independent. So, in late 1995, armed with nothing more than a phone line, a fax machine, a computer and a dream, Elite Travel Management Group was born and I focused on Corporate Travel and Incentives.

With the base of my business being Corporate Travel and Incentives, I was eager to learn everything I could about them. I immersed myself in learning as much as I could about the industry. I researched, studied and traveled to learn as much as I could. As our Corporate Travel and Incentive Division grew and our travel rewards programs were helping companies, I recognized the need to diversify.

I was determined to never be caught off guard again, so I monitored the travel industry closely, keeping track of trends and changes. The rules of travel were transforming and with the advent of the Internet, Web-based travel services and airline deregulation, I knew I needed to focus on a foolproof way of generating revenue that nothing could penetrate. So, I asked myself, “What is it that people will always do?”

My answer was two fold: Get married and reward their employees for a job well done! I also recognized that as the number of millionaires in the United States grew, people would want to have a more luxurious travel experience. Thus, I intensified my efforts in the Corporate Travel and Incentive market; launched a Luxury Travel Division and created a Wedding and Honeymoon Division.

I wanted to do something memorable and knowing the public penchant for anything free, I launched honeymoongiveaway.com. Today, more than 13 years later, Elite Travel Management Group owns more than a two dozen websites including eliteincentivetravel.com and eliteluxurytravel.net. Due to extensive branding and promotion, honeymoongiveaway.com ranks as one of the sites searched on the Internet when it comes to honeymoon travel information and the significance of our other sites grows almost daily.

In 1998, Elite Travel decided to add honeymoon travel to our roster and in 2001, following the travel meltdown that occurred after the Trade Center tragedies, I again took notice of, what was then not a very popular trend, but one I felt was up and coming: Destination Weddings.

Today, with more 15 Leisure Travel Specialists that include sub-contractors throughout the United States, Elite Travel has earned the reputation as one of the best travel management groups around. Our Corporate Travel and Incentives Division is a model of efficiency, staff knowledge and stellar customer service.

Because of this, we were chosen to be an exclusive American Express Travel Agency. We are also a Platinum Preferred Agency Couples Resort for nine years in a row; a Superclubs Diamond Agency; a Travel Impressions Global Award Worldwide Best of the Best Agency eleven years in a row; a Best of the Best Sandals Agency and “Ranked 3rd” in the Fastest 50 growing companies in Tampa Bay area in 2007 and 13th in 2008.

I am an Alumni of the Bank of Florida’s CEO Forum and was a Finalist for Tampa Bay Business Woman of the Year in 2002 & 2008 and “Ultimate CEO” in 2008 .I have also been nominated for Conde Nast’s Top 100 Travel Agents in the world.

As an expert on honeymoons and weddings, I have appeared in editorial pieces in The Perfect Wedding Guide, Florida Bride, For the Bride, Tampa Bay Business Journal, Travel Weekly Spotlights and PeterGreenberg.com.

I was the travel expert for Consumer update on ABC Television in Tampa, Florida and have partnered this year with the NBC Travel Shows in Chicago and Miami, where I will coordinate the Honeymoon Pavilion and conduct seminars for “soon-to-be” brides.

I have been recently invited by leaders in the Tourism Commission of Barbados to speak to the country’s top hoteliers and resort leaders on developing the island as a destination wedding site. Barbados officials chose Elite Travel Group to represent the country as it develops its new destination in weddings and honeymoons.

Recently, I was chosen by Brides.com to host a national blog on Destination Weddings and have been asked to create a “pilot” for a travel show on exotic weddings for The Travel Channel.

Elite Travel has risen to the top of the industry as a leader of unique luxury travel services to discriminating clients worldwide, and we are a trusted Preferred Partner of internationally recognized providers, destinations, and brands alike. As a leader in the industry, it is important that Elite Travel help set and maintain industry standards.

I founded my company on the principals that steady profits result from excellent service, customer retention, customer loyalty and repurchases and we train each and every staff member to ensure that they are committed to these goals

Each Division, Luxury Travel, Corporate and Incentive Travel and Weddings and Honeymoons reflects our commitment to our clients. Whether a major corporation is sending a group of its top sellers on a fantasy vacation, a top CEO is taking his family on vacation or a couple is planning the most important event of their lives, we are committed to providing the very best services possible. I want to make sure that my staff members are equipped to deal with complaints and problems as they arise. This maintains client loyalty, many of whom remain clients remain loyal to the company throughout their travel lives. Twenty percent of Elite Travel clients are repeat clients. Our corporate clients begin booking their next Incentive Travel trips almost before the current one is completed and we are constantly receiving referrals from new companies to work with their current Employee Incentive program or to help a company launch a new program. Once a wedding or honeymoon is done, it is not unusual for us to gain many new clients from among their guests, family and friends.

Personal Consultation

This may sound ordinary, but everyone at Elite is not only professionally prepared to answer client requests, but has the personal experience of the properties and destinations they seek. When combined with a genuine commitment to client satisfaction (we see this as proof that we are doing our job well), our clients can spend discussing details about the wedding, their lifestyle, their expectations, the range of options we can present, and all the other issues that we make sure are addressed only helps to become a foundation for real relationships to emerge. This process of relational service has proven to be the most satisfying to our customers, and sets us apart from other agencies. We know that by always going the extra mile for our clients we are not only fulfilling their expectations, we can provide greater confidence and worry-free experiences that become treasured memories. It is not uncommon to even offer advice and assistance in areas other than travel to couples planning their wedding, or for our agents to get a personal thank you from returning clients. In fact, we literally have so many expressions of thanks from customers that we simply cannot post them all online quickly enough!

Both I and my staff members are on call 24-hours, 7-days a week and 365-days a year to answer questions, service clients and solve problems.

Our Client Appreciation and Incentive Programs are designed to make buyers feel as important as they are and to reward customer loyalty. Once a client has traveled, and upon their return, they are welcomed back with a personally crafted email that encourages their feedback with a discount on their next booked trip. If a client recommends a new traveler, once that traveler is booked that client will receive an additional discount on their next trip. Every corporate incentive top executive and brides and grooms receive a beautiful, tropical bouquet imported from Costa Rica as a “thank you.” This year, we held our First Annual “Bride’s Reunion” in New York City as a thank you to those that have worked with us and those who are planning to work with us. It was a great success and a wonderful opportunity for past clients to meet with present and future clients to discuss one of the most important events that a woman has in her lifetime.