ASTA Announces Officials Election Results

Alexandria, Va., July 22, 2010-ASTA announced today the following ASTA members have been certified by Hope Wallace, CTC, ASTA National Vice President & Secretary, as elected to serve in the respective offices indicated.

Elected national directors-at-large who will serve for a two-year term, in alphabetical order, are:

• Susan H. Aft, ACC,*
• Laura Rodriguez-Verbera,*
• Chris Russo,** and
• Carol Wagner.**

(*Elected to first two-year term)

(**Elected to second two-year term)

National Directors serving the second year of their two-year terms are:

• Patrick R. Byrne, CLU,
• Dan Lanser, CTC,
• Nina Meyer, CTC, MCC, DS,
• Irene Ross, CTC, and
• Hope Wallace, CTC.

ASTA wishes to thank the following outgoing Board and Chapter Presidents Council members for their years of dedication and service to ASTA and its members: Directors-at-large Lila A. Ford, CTC, DS, ACC, and Kari Thomas, CTC, CNS; and Chapter Presidents Council members: Laura Rodriguez-Verbera (Arizona),  Bob Robar (Central & North Florida), Joanne Gardner, CTC (Midwest), Alex Trettin, CTA (Pacific Northwest), Susan Aft, ACC (Southeast), Danny Genung (Southern California), Fran Lindsey, CTC, ACC (Southwest), and Wendy Weigel (Upper Midwest).

ASTA's governance structure calls for a Board of Directors that consists of nine national directors elected at-large for two-year, staggered terms, three chapter presidents, the chair of the International Chapter Presidents' Council (ICPC), and two Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) members. The Chapter Presidents Council elected at its recent meeting the following chapter presidents to sit on the Board: Steve Powers (Long Island Chapter and CPC Chair), Scott Pinheiro (Northern California Chapter) and Karl Rosen (Orange County Chapter).

At its recent meeting in Istanbul, ASTA's Board voted unanimously to extended, for one year only, the terms of the-then current Executive Committee--President and Chair Chris Russo; Vice President and Secretary Hope Wallace, CTC; Treasurer Nina Meyer, CTC, MCC, DS; and CAC Member-at-Large Ellen Bettridge--for a second, single year term, subject to re-election to the Board of Directors.  As such, the 2010/2011 Board, which will come together for the first time in September at THETRADESHOW, will be comprised of:

• Chris Russo, president and chairman*;
• Hope Wallace, CTC, vice president and secretary*;
• Nina Meyer, CTC, MCC, DS, treasurer*;
• Ellen Bettridge, CAC-member director (CAC chair)*;
• Susan H. Aft, ACC, director-at-large;
• Patrick R. Byrne, CLU, director-at-large;
• Dan Lanser, CTC, director-at-large;
• Laura Rodriguez-Verbera, director-at-large;
• Irene Ross, CTC, director-at-large;
• Lee Thomas, CTC, CAC-member director (CAC vice-chair);
• Carol Wagner, director-at-large;
• Scott Pinheiro (Northern California Chapter), CPC representative;
• Steve Powers (Long Island Chapter), Chapter Presidents Council Chair;
• Karl Rosen (Orange County Chapter), CPC representative; and
• ICPC chair (To be elected at next ICPC meeting).

(* Executive Committee)

The following is a list of chapter positions:

Arizona Chapter

President - Donna Delpier, CTC

Vice President - Staci Blunt, CTC, CTP

Secretary - Staci Blunt, CTC, CTP

Treasurer - Javier Beltran

Central & North Florida*

President - Ingeborg Gaitch

Vice President - Geraldine Gregorian, MCC, PhD

Secretary - Lorene Stone, ACC

Treasurer - Bernice Rosmarin, CTC

Midwest Chapter

President - Jorge Sanchez, CTC

1st  Vice President - Vacant

2^nd Vice President - John Werner, CTC

Secretary - Shirley Webster

Treasurer - Ernie Held, CTC

Missouri Valley Chapter

President - Nora Faifer, CTC

Vice President - Devin Hansen

Secretary - Cheryl Kent, CTC, ACC

Treasurer - Peggy Lang

New Jersey Chapter

President - Rick Ardis, ACC, CTA

Vice President- Charlene Ocone-Pecora

Secretary - David Spinelli

Treasurer - Michelangelo Cappabianca

Pacific Northwest Chapter

President - Robert Roach

Vice President - Thomas Kratsch

Secretary - Paula Hobble, CTC

Treasurer - June James**

Treasurer - Alex Trettin**

(** Results were tied. A run-off election will be conducted on Aug. 17.)

Puerto Rico Chapter

President - Daphne Barbeito

Vice President - Marilin Rosario

Secretary - Vacant

Treasurer - Humberto Rodriguez

Rocky Mountain Chapter

President - Joann Thompson

1^st Vice President - Vacant

2^nd Vice President - Rich Sattizahn, CTC

Secretary - Vacant

Treasurer - Jane Folsom, CTC

South Florida Chapter

President - David Gedansky, CHA

Vice President - Vacant

Secretary - David Itzcovich

Treasurer - Linda Biancarosa

Southeast Chapter

President - Linda Nelson

Vice President - Arthur Salus

Secretary - Rochelle Snyder

Treasurer - Rolfe Duggar, CTC

Director 1 - Pauline Rogers, CTC

Director 2 - James Royal

Director 3 - Vacant

Southern California Chapter

President - Jason Coleman, CTC, ECCS, CLS, DS

Vice President - Pamela Irwin

Secretary - Julie Johnson

Treasurer - Barbara Lamel, CTC, MCC, DS

Southwest Chapter

President - Robbi Hamida, CTA, DS

Vice President - Mike Weingart, MCC

Secretary - Andrea Kulikauskaus

Treasurer - Penny Johnson

Upper Midwest Chapter

President - Gloria Stock-Mickelson, CTIE

Vice President - Sue Linderholm, CTC

Secretary - Jenifer Camel

Treasurer - Jane Norman, CTC

ABOUT ASTA
ASTA's (American Society of Travel Agents) mission is to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. ASTA seeks a retail travel marketplace that is profitable, growing and a rewarding place to work, invest and do business.