Welcome to March, let’s get right to what I want to share with you this month. In the spirit of my original concept for my column; celebrating the successes, stories and achievements of others in our industry, I want to recognize some amazing women who have helped shape me into who I am inside this industry. This happens to of course coincide with Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day that just happened on March 8. It has been my good fortune to work inside the real estate/relocation and travel industries most of my working career. Both fields are made up of predominantly women statistically, but that’s not always reflected in the leadership. While that has changed over the years, there’s still work to be done. That’s the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is so important along with their hashtag (#EmbraceEquity). If you’re just hearing about this campaign for the first time, please take a look at the images indexed in that hashtag link above. It can be very easy for all of us in this fast-paced world to see a campaign like this and think that it is clever marketing, but we have to do a deeper dive to understand what is behind it. Here is a great resource link to better understand the difference between “equality” and “equity”.
So, did you go look at some of those images in the hashtag or maybe you even participated in having pictures of yourself taken in the embrace? I don’t know about you but those images of women embracing themselves, while most certainly a good reminder of the need to embrace equity, also resonates on another level. In those images I can see what the power of an embrace can do for self-care and supporting women in all that they do in their industries. It’s also women supporting other women as well. I want to do all I can to support those strong women not only in the name of equity but also in appreciation for what it is that they bring to their companies each and every day. This month I am highlighting some women that have had an impact on me.
Quick personal note: there are many more people than I can highlight here in this article. If you’re reading this and have been a team member of mine in any capacity, please know that your influences have made an impression and imprint on my soul that can’t be changed. I am forever grateful for those past and present working relationships. I must give a nod to the several women at Dugan’s Travel, my first host agency when I was an advisor, who helped me get a start in this industry while helping me recognize my own potential. Without those first steps I would not be writing this article. You know who you are, from the owner on down to her leadership team. So here we go.
Heather Kindred, Vice President of Business Development and Education at Nexion Travel Group
You may wonder if this is a ploy for future advancement. I assure you it is not! You have to understand that if I were not working at this company, I would still put her at the top of this list. Funny thing is that I actually encountered Heather five years prior to working at Nexion. I was about to embark on a new franchise opportunity in business coaching while exploring other options. Heather asks the thoughtful questions and asked me then, “why?” Do you know you can enter the travel industry without that kind of sizeable investment? Little did I know, five years later I would be interviewing for a role on her team. Beside her obvious influence on me, the amazing thing about Heather is that no matter how she has grown in her role or how many people she has on her team, you still get Heather each and every time. No guessing which person you’re getting that day. It’s just her. She trusts you to do the right thing and from a leadership perspective, it is exactly what you want. Heather brings together the right people to accomplish amazing things. Thank you for believing in people Heather!
Jackie Friedman, President of Nexion Travel Group
What can I say about Jackie? If you’re in and around this industry then you know who Jackie Friedman is. Jackie is one of the strongest advocates for this industry and its people out there. Her work with ASTA and the Family Bonds Foundation is proof. There is no doubt that with her guidance, deep caring and leadership she has made Nexion what it is today. I get to see firsthand how Jackie fosters team mindedness and creates ways for us to “stretch” just a little more. Her own leadership during the pandemic was a calm in the storm we all needed. Of course we had to confront realties while hard choices were made. With her leadership we have come out stronger. On a personal level she has been a cheerleader for my ideas both professional and personal. I will NEVER forget my first year at the company when I had to leave an event early to go to an improv show I was performing in. Who was there that night? Jackie and several other new team members who came to support me. It never fails that she comes to see shows I am in when she can. Since then we have connected over our shared background in the arts (hers was in music and theater) and how it shaped who we are. Despite me calling her the wrong name in my interview (which shows she has compassion and a sense of humor) I was blessed to join the Nexion team and will always be a Jackie fan.
These next three women are leaders in our industry as parts of brands that we know and love. I have encountered each at different times in my career. It is said in personal interactions that you never know the impact you can have on someone. These are some of the women leading in this industry having an impact whether they know it or not.
Kristin Karst, Co-Owner and Executive Vice President of AmaWaterways
If you have not had the pleasure of seeing Kristin present, meet her or travel on AmaWaterways be sure to put all of those on your to-do list. AmaWaterways is all about love and hospitality and Kristin embodies all of that with her graciousness. Stories sell and her company has a great one. Kristin has made an impact on me by connecting on a personal level from the first moment I was introduced to her, something she does quite naturally. I had the opportunity to be on another brand sailing with her recently and she was able to share with me some of her own personal story because I asked. This is what it is about folks, relationship building and the willingness to learn about other people and cultures. I also had an opportunity last year to experience AmaWaterways firsthand. When you can draw a straight line to a person who helped shape that experience you can only be in awe of what they have accomplished.
Jan Swartz, Group President of Holland America Group (Former President of Princess Cruises)
I’m including Jan Swartz in my list of five because I admire her leadership from afar. I do not have a personal story to share other than the fact that I have been a traveler onboard several Princess Cruises itineraries. When you think about what this industry has had to endure through COVID-19 and the subsequent return of travel you have to respect Jan’s leadership. Talk about front and center leadership; from publications to news outlets, Jan Swartz had no choice in the matter in those early days of the pandemic. I respect her courageousness, honesty and compassion to face all of that while being the president of a large company. Jan Swartz made the decision to pause all global operations of her company, the first cruise company to do so at that time. Six months later Princess was there to restart operations as safely and profitably as they could. In my past professional life I worked in human resources, and we often looked to Harvard Business Review (HBR) cases for leadership training. In my research for this article, I found a September 2020 HBR case study on Jan Swartz’s leadership during that time. I have since purchased that case study and after reading it have an even greater respect for what she did during that time. The article says she already had a good sleep and meditation regimen. Jan, I sure hope you’ve had a chance to breath even better since those days.
Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support and Service for Royal Caribbean International
Vickie is a force to be reckoned with both in her business and on the pickleball court! If you ever have the opportunity to play pickleball with her on a sailing do it, even if you’re just learning. Vicki always does an amazing job of connecting personal passions with travel experiences. You can see her do this very same thing when presenting ideas to travel advisors about building their businesses along with the power of partnership. From hosting coffee talks that, maybe to her surprise, grew to an average of 4,000 listeners. Vicki is not just a public figure to me on stage or in the industry magazines. I have had tangible interactions with her that, albeit brief at times, leave a lasting impression on me about how to carry yourself professionally while connecting personally.
I think that best way to end this is to say, “thank you!” to these women and many others like them. Thank you for your leadership, human kindness and willingness to share of yourselves beyond what is required of the job most times. You are an example to other women and men who aspire to be great leaders. Have a great March everyone, and here’s to your success!
Have a topic you think should be considered for future editions of Travel Hi Five? Get in touch with me at mmussey@travelleaders.com.
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