Tzell Branch Managers from across U.S. gathered in New York for annual Branch Meeting.
New York, NY (March 31, 2014) — New York-based Tzell Travel Group hosted its highly anticipated annual Branch Meeting on March 24, 2014, at The Pierre, Taj Hotel’s lavishly restored property in the heart of New York City. Tzell Branch Presidents and leaders gathered from around the country to hear firsthand from top Tzell leadership, luxury suppliers and notable guest speakers, including Delta Air Lines President Edward Bastian, Sabre CEO Tom Klein and Classic Vacations President David Hu. Attendees were welcomed to the prestigious event at an extravagant cocktail reception hosted by The Pierre on March 23; guests enjoyed an entertaining evening of live music and networking with other branches.
“The Tzell Branch Meeting has become one of our premier annual opportunities for our key leadership from across the country to meet face-to-face, not only to address issues of mutual interest within Tzell, but also to hear from some of our industry’s foremost leaders on topics of concern to us all,” stated Tzell CEO Barry Liben. “This unique blend of speakers not only contributes to our continued growth, but further underscores Tzell’s distinctive leadership role within the agency community.”
“Among the many reasons why our annual meeting is so well-attended is because it offers an exclusive setting where Tzell branches can network with their peers and learn directly from the industry’s top luxury suppliers and industry executives,” noted J.D. O’Hara, President of Tzell. “Armed with the knowledge that travel industry leaders recognize the quality and prestige that Tzell represents, our branch leadership leaves these meetings better equipped and motivated to grow our business even further.”
Liben continued, “Because our agents truly are the best in the business, it’s only appropriate that we provide them with exclusive opportunities to meet and hear from those who are at the forefront of our industry. We were fortunate to hear from several distinguished industry leaders – Delta’s Ed Bastian, Sabre’s Tom Klein and Classic Vacations’ David Hu – who recognize just how integral Tzell is to their continued success.”
Tzell Branch leaders were honored to hear Bastian discuss Delta’s continued ascent over the past five years. “It’s all about people – serving people who can take you there with the right attitude, morale and culture,” Bastian explained. “Service is what’s going to ‘win’ in this industry.”
In addition to Bastian, guests were also excited to hear from Tom Klein, CEO, Sabre; Holly Hegeman, CEO & Publisher, PlaneBusiness Banter; Kathleen Shea, Vice President, Sales and Marketing – The Americas, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces; David Hu, President, Classic Custom Vacations; Gabriel Menkin, CEO, Blue Ribbon Bags and Judi Galst, Business Development, CIBT. Attendees were also shown a brief video from event sponsor Viking Cruises.
The Tzell Branch Meeting agenda also included commentary from Liben and O’Hara, as well as Tzell’s Executive Vice President Jerry Behrens and members of Tzell’s headquarters team. Insightful discussions centered around the changing airline industry, Travel Leaders Group’s luxury hotel programs, effective public relations and fraud prevention. At the conclusion of the full-day meeting, The Pierre offered a site inspection of its spectacular venue to all Tzell participants.
“I look forward to attending the Tzell Branch Meeting every year because I leave feeling energized, focused, and ready to take my business to the next level,” said John Heimburger, President of TravelPlex, a branch of Tzell in St. Louis, MO. “Because Tzell is constantly making advancements and improvements to support my business, it’s important that I bring back this pertinent information to my staff. It also provides me a time to personally interact with Tzell leadership and enjoy direct access to industry leaders such as Ed Bastian and Sabre CEO Tom Klein.”
To learn more about Tzell Travel Group and its first-class, white-glove, personalized and proactive customer service, visit Tzell.com.
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About Tzell Travel Group:
With annual sales of approximately $2 billion, Tzell Travel Group – as part of Travel Leaders Group – is currently ranked first among the nation’s largest corporate travel management companies, according to Business Travel News. Tzell maintains its headquarters in New York City and has offices in 20 states.
In everything it does, Tzell Travel Group places the highest priority on both its clients and its agents. For the individual traveler, Tzell addresses value, convenience, comfort and safety with its customized quality traveler services. For the corporate traveler, Tzell offers a broad line of cost containment products, meeting services and comprehensive travel management programs.
Tzell focuses on the needs of its agents by providing a stellar work environment, an experienced leadership team and an industry leading support group. These elements, combined with the industry’s most competitive air, hotel and leisure programs, create the paramount that is Tzell Travel.