NTA Announces 2014 Board of Directors

Paul Nakamoto, vice president of business development for Gray Line of San Francisco, has been elected chairman of the NTA board of directors, after serving a year as vice chairman. Joining him on the executive board are vice chair Jorge Cazenave, Cazenave Argentina, and secretary/treasurer Justin Osbon, Image Tours (Grand Rapids, Michigan). Patti Culp, DMO director, Alabama Travel Council, and Jim Magrath, tour supplier director, Delta Air Lines, Inc., also rose to the executive council, serving their second year on the board.

Chris Babb, The Group Tour Company, Washington, D.C.; Paul Larsen, Ed-Ventures, Rochester, Minnesota; and Zach Moses, HE Travel, Key West, Florida, were elected to serve as tour operator directors. Jodi Danyluk, Norwegian Cruise Line, was elected to serve represent tour suppliers on the board, and John Meyer, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, was elected to represent destination marketing organizations.

Nakamoto also appointed three directors-at-large: Harry Chen, Joy Holiday, Millbrae, California; Alex Ferdinand, Best Western International; and Luis Garcia, Mexico Tourism Board. They join immediate past chair Mark Hoffman, Sports Leisure Vacations, Sacramento, California, and tour operator directors Dawn Rueckl, Anderson Vacations, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Jay Smith, Sports Travel and Tours, Hatfield, Massachusetts; and Anbritt Stengele, Sports Traveler, Chicago; all are completing two-year terms.

The new board was introduced to NTA members attending the recent Travel Exchange in Los Angeles. The event, held in conjunction with the United Motorcoach Association, brought together some thirty-six hundred travel professionals from twenty-six countries.

Source: National Transportation Association