HODGE PODGE: Shifts, Shakeups and Occasional Shaftings in the Tour and Travel Industry

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) has selected a top Marriott hotel executive as its new president and CEO: Chris Tatum, who currently serves as area general manager of Marriott Hawaii, replaces former HTA president and CEO George Szigeti, who left the agency Oct. 31 following the board’s decision to terminate his contract without cause. Tatum was recruited by Marriott straight out of college; since then and has moved 16 times in 34 years. Over the years, he has served in senior management positions at Marriott properties in Hawaii.

Jennifer Haz has been promoted to the post of vice president of communications at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. She previously served as director of media relations for the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. Haz has been with the bureau for more than 16 years.

Kelly Craighead, former deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism in the U.S. Department of Commerce, has been named as the new president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). She succeeds Cindy D’Aoust, who announced earlier this year that she would be stepping down after two years on the job. From 1993 to 2001, Craighead served on the White House Staff, working as Deputy Assistant to both President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton. She later served as president and managing director of the nonprofit Democracy Alliance.

Former tour operator Claude Blanc has been appointed director of the WTM Portfolio, which is owned by Reed Exhibitions. WTM Portfolio includes the World Travel Market (WTM) London, Travel Forward, the International Travel & Tourism Awards, WTM Africa, Arabian Travel Market and WTM Latin America. Blanc has more than 25 years in top management roles across the tour and travel industry. Until recently, he was CEO at Paris-based Travel & Co, a tour operator group he founded in 2007.

Long time industry veteran Clare Carter has joined the Voyages team at U.S. Tours. Carter’s career includes tenures in key sales positions at several tour and travel companies.

Shavonne Harding has been promoted to the position of regional director of sales for the U.S. central and west coast regions for Visit Baltimore. She joined the organization last March as senior national sales manager. Previously, she held sales positions for Destination DC and the Freeman Company.