Hubertus Funke has been promoted to the position of senior vice president of tourism for the San Francisco Travel Association. Funke joined San Francisco Travel in 2007 and later became vice president of tourism prior to his promotion. He began his career in the tour and travel industry in 1998 as a product manager for AlliedTPro and also worked at New World Travel before joining San Francisco Travel.
Tom Klein, president and CEO of Sabre Corporation, has been elected by the board of directors of Brand USA’s board of directors as the organization’s new chair. Klein succeeds Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International, Inc., who originally joined the Brand USA board on Oct. 1, 2012, and has served as board chair since Jan. 22, 2015. Sorenson, who is in his second term as a board member, will continue to serve as a member of the board. Klein was one of the original 11 Brand USA board members appointed in September 2010. He was reappointed in September 2011 and December 2014 Klein is eligible to serve on the board through the expiration of his consecutive terms on Dec. 1, 2017.
Jonathan Woodall has been promoted to group head of commercial at Hays Travel, as part of a new commercial strategy across the business. Woodall, who worked in retail for four years before moving into the finance team in head office, most recently served in the role of finance manager. In his newly-created position as group head of commercial, he will be taking a group-level approach to driving sales for partners across the company; this includes the Hays Independence Group, tour operating, transfers, and beds.
Christophe Peymirat (left) has been named chief commercial officer of Egencia Worldwide. Egencia is the corporate travel division of the Expedia group. Peymirat, who most recently led Egencia’s European and Nordic businesses, takes over the role following Egencia’s reorganization into two divisions. The second organization will be focused on scaling Egencia’s business operations and also on leading all supplier partner relationships worldwide. This organization will be led by another Egencia veteran and experienced travel industry innovator, Mark Hollyhead (right), who has been leading Egencia’s Americas business and who just completed the integration of Orbitz for Business, will become Chief Operating Officer, Egencia Worldwide.
Dennis Wormwell, CEO of Shearings Holidays, is leaving the company at the end of the year. Wormwell, who joined the business almost a decade ago, is leaving to pursue a non-executive career. He led the management buyout of the business from in 2014 and the subsequent sale to Lone Star Funds earlier this year. Gary Speakman, chief financial officer and deputy chief executive, will assume the role on an interim basis until Wormwell’s replacement is announced next year. Shearings Group sells coach, air, rail, cruise and hotel breaks across 170 destinations worldwide.
Renee McKenney has been named senior vice president/chief experience officer at the Dallas CVB in a move that makes the Dallas the first bureau in the country to create an entire division focused on the customer experience. In her role as CXO, McKenney will provide strategic direction and operational leadership to the organization’s customer service teams that currently include client services, strategic alliances and visitor information. A veteran of nearly three decades in the tour and travel industry, McKenney most recently served as national sales director for Disney Destinations–the Walt Disney Company.
Satomi Yamamoto has been appointed as director for the Japan market at the Guam Visitors Bureau. Yamamoto previously served as the director of Alaska Travel Industry Association in Japan, and as a corporate communication and marketing manager in the Tokyo office of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. She also served as the Japan representative of Visit Orlando at Double Six Marketing Ltd.
