Annual Caribbean Tourism Summit

SPEAKER BIOS

Jerri Banks

Jerri Banks has translated her considerable experience in both restaurant operations and the beverage industry to develop a full-service consulting concern offering expertise in all areas of opening and running bar/restaurant venues including concept creation, site selection and project management as well as development of creative beverage programs and on site operations. She has developed extensive inventory management and inventory/cost control programs in addition to comprehensive training manuals and physical plant management systems.

Jean-Claude Baumgarten
President, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

Born in Strasbourg in May 1942, Jean-Claude Baumgarten graduated from the French business school, Ecole des Hautes Edutes Commerciales. He held the position of Vice President for Becco (the French confectioners) and was responsible for mutual funds in Africa.

He joined Air France in 1970 as assistant Regional Manager in Los Angeles and New York as was appointed Regional Manager in Osaka for West Japan in 1974. He later became Regional Manager for Thailand and Burma, as well as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia in 1978. Jean-Claude held the position of General Manager for Japan in 1982 and was also Chairman of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In September 1986, Mr. Baumgarten became Vice President and General Manager for the United States where he was responsible for the entire activities of the company throughout the USA, as well as in the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands and French Polynesia. In June 1990, he was appointed Vice President for the Americas and Asia.

From June 1992 to August 1993, Jean-Claude was Executive Vice President for GMF, a French insurance company. He returned to Air France in September 1993 was Vice President for the Americas and Asia.

In November 1993, Jean-Claude was promoted to Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations and Member of the Executive and Strategic Committee. He also represented the company on the Board of Governors of IATA and the Executive Committee of UEA. In February 1996, he became Executive Vice President of Corporate, International & Industrial Affairs. From December 1997 to July 1998, prior to leaving Air France, Jean-Claude held the position of advisor to the Chairman.

After his departure, he established a company with American investors under the name of CREWE Associates. This involved consultancy work and start-up advice for new businesses.

In October 1999, Jean-Claude was appointed President of the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Mr. Jean-Claude Baumgarten is both an Officier de l’ordre National du Merite and a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres. He is an advisor in Foreign Trade to both the French Government and the Chairman of the Tourism Commission.

Honorable Glen A.V. Beache
Minister of Tourism, Youth and Sport, St. Vincent & the Grenadines

The 32-island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) appointed the Honorable Glen A.V. Beache as the country’s new Minister of Tourism, on December 12, 2005, following the national election in which the incumbent Unity Labour Party was elected to its second consecutive term.

“St. Vincent and the Grenadines occupies a special place in the Caribbean beyond the reach of mass market tourism. Because this gives rise to experiences that can’t be found elsewhere, we intend to keep it this way. While this is part of what makes us alluring, it also presents us with the challenge of managing growth in a sustainable manner. My pledge is to refine and develop our tourism product in a way that preserves what makes us such a compellingly authentic destination, with such high end appeal,” said Minister Beache, who served as a senator in the last two years. In addition to his responsibilities in tourism, he will oversee youth and sports development in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Although only 38 years of age, Minister Beache takes up his new job with more than a decade of relevant experience – and an enviable track record of success in marketing, political consulting and management. Prior to being named Minister of Tourism, he was appointed to the post of senator of transportation in 2003. His first foray into politics in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where he was born and lives, came in 1998, as a junior political consultant for the Unity Labour Party.
Minister Beache started his career in 1995 in the private sector, as a marketing assistant for the East Caribbean Group of Companies. He later joined Laszlo & Associates in Arlington, Virginia, as a management consultant. One year later, in 2000, he was certified in the use of the Mandarin language by the Mandarin Centre in Taipei, China, which he followed with a political consulting position with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in Taipei.
His educational credentials span a Masters in Social Policy and Administration from the University of London; a degree in Political Science from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada; and a diploma in Public Relations from Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology in Ontario, Canada.

Minister Beache, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is an active volunteer in the Red Cross and several community-based organizations.

W. Austin Bowden-Kerby, PhD
Senior Marine Scientist, Counterpart International

As a senior scientist for Counterpart International, Dr. Austin Bowden-Kerby is an expert in coastal and marine resource management, beach and coastal processes, climate change adaptation for coral reefs and tropical coasts, coral reef restoration and coral aquaculture, tourism partnerships for coral reef conservation, and awareness materials development With more than 30 years experience living and working in the Pacific Islands and Caribbean, Dr. Bowden-Kerby is an experienced community development facilitator, educator and trainer.

Gordon Buck
Vice President - Caribbean Relations, Carnival Cruise Lines

Gordon Buck’s association with Carnival Cruise Lines began in 1978 with Concord Nopal Lines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Lines that, handled ocean cargo on the Port of Miami. Buck joined Carnival's Operations Department in June 1986 as Operations Supervisor for various ships, subsequently becoming involved in start up operations of new ships coming on line. In 1996 he became Manager of Port Operations, was named Director in 1999, Vice President in 2005 and appointed Vice President of Caribbean Relations in November 2006. Buck serves as liaison with government agencies throughout the Caribbean and oversees the line's port agents and port contracts for the Carnival fleet operating in the region.

Ru-El Burford
Founder and CEO, ndustrimobile media group

Ru-El Burford is the founder and CEO of ndustrimobile media group, an innovative broadcast entertainment network exclusively for mobile phones. Fast becoming the topic of substantial underground ‘buzz’ in content and mobile entertainment circles, ndustrimobile was created to develop and deliver unique cable TV style programming to mobile phones and pda’s across all domestic and internationally affiliated carrier networks. The network has a full roster of programming in development including the fashion based program PORTFOLIO which documents the inside workings of the top fashion brands worldwide and the provocative news-magazine show ‘In My Opinion..’, featuring some of the nation’s best known thought leaders and celebrities.

Well known for his insightful and unique ability to create compelling brand campaigns across various consumer categories, Ru-El hails from a marketing and creative background having also founded and built ad agency boutique The Quantum Group into one of Black Enterprise Magazine’s top twenty African American owned ad agencies nationwide with billings of $16 million dollars in just under four scant years from start-up in 1997. Having spearheaded strategy and/or creative campaigns for the likes of Martell Cognac, Emilio Franco, Gianfranco Ferre, Coca-Cola, United Negro College Fund and others, Quantum is currently the only African American owned agency to handle global creative/brand development duties for a luxury brand, the Polish vodka Coronation Royale.

A published contributor to industry ‘bibles’ Advertising Age and Brandweek on consumer marketing strategies to the coveted youth and ethnic consumer markets, Ru-El is also a partner in R.O.L. Global, a ‘think tank’ that provides development strategy and technology based, green and leading edge consumer product opportunities to progressive companies globally. Formally educated in London, England, Jamaica W.I. and the United States, Ru-El.

J. Patrick Cozier
Secretary General, Caribbean Broadcasting Union

As Secretary General of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union since 1996, J. Patrick Cozier has enjoyed a successful executive career in both the public and private sector. His executive career started in 1974, when he was appointed Administrator of the Barbados Branch of the Manufacturer’s Life Insurance Co. (now Manulife Financial). His 15 years in the insurance industry included working with American Internal Group and CL Financial Group in the Caribbean. In 1988, Cozier undertook a two-year assignment on behalf of the Government of Barbados as Chief Executive of the Barbados Marketing Corporation, before returning to the private sector as General Manager of Sissons Paints, Barbados Operations, and then Regional Manager - Marketing and Sales with the regional operations of Sissons.

Mr. Cozier holds a Masters in Business Administration, Specializing in Strategic Planning, with the International Management Centre in the United Kingdom and holds a graduate Fellowship in Business Administration with the Canadian Institute of Management in Toronto, Canada. He also is an Associate of the Institute of Cost and Executive Accountant, a member of the Institute of Management in the U.K. and a Fellow of the Life Management Institute in Georgia, USA.

He presently is a founder member, through CBU, of the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS and is a member of the Board of the HIV/AIDS commission in Barbados.

Thomas Debass
Senior Technical Advisor, USAID

Thomas Debass is a senior technical advisor, responsible for coordinating and managing USAID’s development activities related to remittances and Diaspora engagement. Prior to joining USAID, he was a senior international economist with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in Washington, DC. At OPIC his field of concentration was economic evaluation and monitoring of OPIC-supported U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) and Diaspora direct investment (DDI) projects. Before that he worked as a consultant for Dannish Aid Agency-supported agricultural research project in East Africa and research associate for USAID-supported projects in Bangladesh and Uganda. Mr. Debass holds a BA in Economics and MS in Applied Economics from Virginia Tech. He also has an Executive Certificate in International Business Management from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

Timothy Dentry
Managing Director - Global Services, Johns Hopkins Medicine International

Timothy Dentry brings to Johns Hopkins Medicine International and its clients more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience, both US-based and internationally. Tim has assisted in the transition of health delivery systems at the local, state, regional and national levels. Areas of influence have included operations performance improvement and service excellence, strategic planning and community service growth, and leadership development. Tim’s roles have included hospital chief executive officer in New York State, executive vice president for business development for an Atlantic-based health system, and executive director for a public hospital management initiative in east Africa. Tim’s current responsibilities for Johns Hopkins Medicine International include developing quality and strategic planning initiatives at Hospital Punta Pacifica in Panama, and leading specialty care public health initiatives in Trinidad and Tobago.

Ron Erdmann
Deputy Director - Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, U.S. Department of Commerce

Ron Erdmann is Deputy Director at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI), where he is responsible for the administration and improvement of the Office’s international travel research programs. These programs provide key market intelligence on the volume and characteristics of travelers to and from the United States. He also is responsible for providing clients with technical assistance on how to effectively use research data for the development of international travel market decisions. Prior to joining OTTI, Erdmann worked for the U.S. Travel & Tourism Administration, Office of Research, for nine years until its April 1996 closure. He also has worked to develop and promote rural tourism, worked for a regional tourism association, and has a Master’s Degree in Hospitality & Tourism.

Jeffrey Glueck
Chief Marketing Officer, Travelocity

Jeff Glueck oversees marketing activities for Travelocity, including advertising, merchandising, customer experience, design, personalization, CRM, search engine marketing and editorial content, business development, and community sites including IgoUgo.com. Since assuming the role in January 2004, Jeff has helped Travelocity launch a new site design and interface, a new logo, the wildly popular Roaming Gnome Advertising campaign, the Travelocity Guarantee and Customer Bill of Rights, as well as a new tagline: "You'll never roam alone."

Previously, Jeff led the product team that built Travelocity's dynamic packaging platform, which has helped more than one million travelers build their complete trip, while saving time and money by booking flight, hotel, car and activities together. Prior to Travelocity, he helped found and launch Site59, where he served as chief strategic officer and VP Business and Product Development. Site59 became the leader in the US "last minute deals" arena and won numerous honors for innovation. In March 2002, Site 59 was acquired by Travelocity. Earlier in his career, Jeff served as advisor to the Ministers of trade and travel of Peru, Venezuela and Bolivia as well as a White House Fellow in Washington D.C. working on international trade and economic development financing for Asia and the Middle East.

Under Glueck's direction, Travelocity has been recognized for its business rejuvenation, including "Turnaround Company of the Year" from the American Business Awards, and a Gold Effie from the American Marketing Association for best retail advertising campaign in the USA. Glueck, named to Advertising Age's 2007 "40 under 40," holds degrees from Harvard University and Oxford University, where he was honored as a Marshall Scholar.

Philip Greene

Philip Greene is an attorney, writer and cocktail historian/mixologist living in Washington, D.C. He is one of the founding members of the legal counsel to the Museum of the American Cocktail, based in New Orleans. In his ‘day job’, Philip is an intellectual property law attorney with the U.S. Department of Commerce, and recently concluded a one-year teaching fellowship in internet law at Victoria University School of Law in Wellington, New Zealand, where he found time to do a couple of cocktail seminars for the Kiwis. Having deep roots in New Orleans, Philip is an authority on New Orlean’s history and its rich cocktail tradition, and his Oleanian ancestors include Antoine Amedee Peychaud, the creator of Peychaud’s Bitters, and the father of the original Sazerac (cocktail).

Phil also is working on a book titled "To Have and Have Another - The Hemingway Bartender's Companion”, and will be presenting a seminar by that name at this year's Tales of the Cocktail event in New Orleans (July 17). Phil also offers consulting services for the bar and restaurant trade. He is based in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Alan Greenspan
Chairman, Federal Reserve Board (1987-2006)

For 18½ years and four presidential administrations, Dr. Alan Greenspan served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Alan Greenspan advised leaders across the political spectrum as he called for a smaller federal budget deficit, freer trade and less government involvement in the economy. His analysis of economic trends for the long and short term has influenced and often shaped the course of policy, international relations and financial markets. Greenspan was devoted to strengthening the authority and integrity of the Federal Reserve; through his steady leadership during bull and bear markets, the Fed became an institution respected worldwide.

Dr. Greenspan heads Greenspan Associates, a consulting firm in Washington, DC and is the author of The Age of Turbulence (September 2007).

Dr. Greenspan has received honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, Pennsylvania, Notre Dame, Leuven (Belgium), and Edinburgh universities. He received the Legion of Honor (Commander) from France, became an honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire and received the Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civil award.

Patricia Griffin
President and Founder, "Green" Hotels Association®

Patricia Griffin is President and Founder of the "Green" Hotels Association® (www.greenhotels.com), which was founded in 1993 to bring together hoteliers interested in saving water and energy, reducing solid waste and protecting the beautiful destinations we all love to visit. "Green" Hotels Association® is the proud winner of the 2001 American Society of Travel Agents' Environmental Award. The association is an Endorser Member of the US EPA's WAVE and WasteWi$e programs. The Association represents about 400 members and more than 35,000 room nights, from small B&Bs to large hotel complexes.

Ms. Griffin is particularly interested in encouraging the greening of the hospitality industry by informing not only hoteliers, but also travel agents, meeting planners, tour guides, business and pleasure travelers and government agencies. Ms. Griffin is a native Texan, owns a farm in Central Texas and is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Business degree. Patricia is a Partner Member of Green Seal, Inc., Co-Op America, the Green Builder Program and Professional Association of Innkeepers International. She served for 5 years as a coach for the Women Business Owners Roundtable program at Houston’s SBDC (Small Business Development Center). She also is a recommended speaker of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Ena Harvey
Hemispheric Specialist in Agrotourism, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

Ena Harvey is the IICA Hemispheric Specialist in Agrotourism. She serves as IICA’s representative on the Board of Directors and Sustainable Tourism Committee of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, and on the Caribbean Hotel Association Advocacy Committee. She also serves as Chairperson of the Sub-Regional Steering Committee of the UNDP GEF SGP for Barbados and the OECS, and is a member of the National Commission on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and a Director of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados. She has delivered numerous feature addresses and lead papers on agrotourism at national, regional and international meetings held in Barbados, London, Washington, Costa Rica, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Puerto Rico and Miami.

Ms. Harvey has 15 years’ experience through more than 60 consultancy projects in the Caribbean, as well as Mauritius, Europe, Morocco and Chile, in development of the agro-industrial sector in the Caribbean, in areas of technology development and application, implementation of Food Safety (HACCP) systems, diagnostic benchmarking of SMEs to World Class standards, quality management for production and export, agro-tourism linkages, women and agricultural development, development of training materials in food safety and food processing.

Darryl Jenkins
Air Transportation Consultant

As an air transportation consultant, Darryl Jenkins has worked for the majority of the world’s top 50 airlines and a handful of foreign countries. He has authored numerous books on aviation, with Airline Metrics forthcoming in 2009. He is a regular commentator for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN and other media. He lives in Fauquier County Virginia and is a certified Rosarian, operating one of the largest private rose gardens in Virginia.

Parris Jordan
Vice President, HVS - New York

Parris Jordan is a Vice President at HVS, a global consulting and services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming and leisure industries. Jordan provides various services to hotel developers, lenders, operators and other interested parties and specializes in conducting market studies for proposed hotels and performing appraisals of luxury, upscale and mid-scale hotels. During the past five years, Jordan has worked on more than 150 assignments throughout the United States and the Caribbean. He is very familiar with the Caribbean hotel market and has worked on over two dozen consulting assignments throughout a dozen Caribbean islands during the past 18 months. He was the recipient of the prestigious Patron Scholarship awarded at New York University’s 25th Hospitality Investment Conference. Prior to joining HVS, Jordan worked at New York State Division of Tourism, and the Hilton and Chaconia Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago.

Jordan holds a Masters Degree in Hospitality Management from New York University and is an adjunct professor at New York University’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, where he lectures on lodging development.

Enrique De Marchena Kaluche
President, Caribbean Hotel Association
Founder/Managing Partner, DMK Attorneys At Law

Attorney Enrique De Marchena Kaluche is founder and managing partner of DMK Attorneys at Law in the Dominican Republic. He also is the new president of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). Since 1985, de Marchena has represented dozens of clients in the tourism and entertainment industries as a member of the Dominican Bar Association. His various honors have included serving as Honorary Consul of Jamaica in the Dominican Republic (since 1994); President of the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (2004-2006); Vice-president of CHA (2006); President of the Duty Free Shops Association of Dominican Republic (since 1998); Former president of the Tourist Promotion Council (2002-2004); and Former President of the Dominican-Canadian Chamber of Commerce (1998-2002).

Judy Karwacki
President, Small Planet Consulting

Judy Karwacki is an international tourism consultant with more than two decades of industry experience, including over 10 years as a consultant and 22 years as owner of a retail travel agency that specializes in nature and adventure tourism. Her project portfolio reaches from North America to the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Asia. She has worked on projects for the US Agency for International Development, Canadian International Development Agency, Organization of American States, British High Commission, The International Ecotourism Society, and International Institute for Peace through Tourism. Judy is a sustainable and niche tourism expert, and has worked throughout much of the Caribbean in the development of nature/eco-tourism, birding tourism, cultural tourism, agri-tourism, horticultural tourism, and community tourism. Her key interest is tourism that provides communities with sustainable long-term economic, social and cultural benefits while protecting in their natural and cultural heritage.

Mark Keiser
Vice President - Luxury Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Mark Keiser is Vice President, Luxury Development, for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. In his position, he is primarily responsible for the development of all St. Regis and The Luxury Collection hotels in North America and the Caribbean. Mr. Keiser has been a leader on Starwood’s development team for the past three years and was most recently responsible for its Caribbean real estate investment activities. Prior to joining Starwood’s development team, Mr. Keiser gained a diverse range of experiences in the hotel industry working for both traditional hotel companies such as Prime Hospitality and Wyndham International as well as the financial services firm Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. Keiser holds a BS in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.

James Kennedy
Client Director & Communities Expert, BrainJuicer, Inc.

A client director at BrainJuicer, James Kennedy is a 13-year Internet consultancy and market research veteran who in 1995 saw the coming revolution in marketing and co-founded New York-based WebTrack, the first publication devoted to online marketing. He was subsequently a director of Netpoll, the UK’s first specialist online market research agency, where he worked with clients including Microsoft, UBS and the UK Government, and of Cartezia, the specialist online strategy consultancy. At BrainJuicer, James’s clients have included McDonald’s, PepsiCo and News International, and he heads BrainJuicer Communities, the company’s online communities initiative. He began his professional life investment banking in London with Hambros and Barclays and has traveled extensively.

Philip Lewis
Manager - IP Service Development, Cable & Wireless Barbados

Philip Lewis is the Manager of IP Service Development with Cable & Wireless Barbados, with responsibility for the defining, development and marketing of these services such as Voice-over-IP telephony, high-speed internet and Metro Ethernet data communications. This also includes competitive strategy and product pricing. Philip is affiliated with the University of the West Indies, Master’s degree in Telecommunications Regulatory Policy programme. He has authored case studies and tutored as well as supervised student’s final year projects. Philip holds a Master's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Birmingham, England. He also is a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) in England and is one of their registered mentors for IET graduate engineers.

Dr. Myles Munroe
Motivational Speaker, Author, Lecturer, Educator, Government Consultant, Advisor and Businessman

Dr. Myles Munroe is a multi-gifted international motivational speaker, author, lecturer, educator, government consultant, advisor and businessman, addressing critical issues affecting every aspect of human, social and spiritual development. He is the founder and president of Bahamas Faith Ministries International, an all-encompassing network of ministries, headquartered in Nassau, Bahamas.

Dr. Munroe holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Education, Fine Arts and Theology from Oral Roberts University, a Master of Arts degree in Administration from the University of Tulsa, and a honorary Doctorate degree from Oral Roberts University.

In 1998, Dr. Munroe became the youngest honoree to receive the Officer of the British Empire (OBE) Award, which was bestowed by the Queen of England for his contribution to the growth and strength of the Bahamas. He was also the recipient of one of the highest awards of the Government of the Bahamas Silver Jubilee (SJA) Award for his outstanding contribution to the growth and strength of the Bahamas.

Dr. Myles and his lovely wife Ruth are the proud parents of two college students Charisa and Chairo (Myles Jr.). Dr. Munroe is the sixth child born into a family of 11 children – raised in a Christian home in Nassau, Bahamas where his father is a Baptist minister and his late mother was a missionary.

Dr. Munroe had every opportunity to become a loser, but chose to become a winner by daring to reach higher, go farther, see over, and grasp something greater…which has allowed him to reach millions of people around the world helping them in the discovery of their DESTINY, PURPOSE, POTENTIAL AND LEADERSHIP.

David Pavelko
Eastern Regional Director of Travel, Google

David Pavelko is the Eastern Regional Director of Travel at Google and manages marketing and advertising campaigns for airlines, hotel chains, car rental companies, tourism groups, OTAs and travel publishers across Google search, display, YouTube, television, print and audio advertising platforms.

Prior to joining Google, David spent six years at Cendant Corporation, where he was Vice President of Business Development and was responsible for developing and managing marketing programs for Fortune 500 organizations for the purposes of leveraging Cendant's travel (Orbitz, CheapTickets, Galileo), hospitality (Ramada Inn, Days Inn, Super 8), car rental (Avis/Budget), real estate and financial services distribution channels. David also spent time at Choice Hotels in a similar business development capacity as well as a few years in the sports marketing industry primarily managing sponsorship programs in IndyCar racing.

Auliana Poon, PhD
Managing Director and Senior Partner of Tourism Intelligence International

As Managing Director and Senior Partner of Tourism Intelligence International (based in Bielefeld, Germany), Dr. Auliana Poon enjoys an international reputation as a tourism consultant, and is considered to be one of the foremost specialists in eco-tourism and sustainable tourism development. During the past decade, she has been regularly retained by international funding agencies and tourism organizations to provide essential leadership and guidance to tourism projects in several developing countries. As well, Dr. Poon has been hired by airlines, hotels and resorts to help them strengthen their competitive positions through research, marketing strategies, product development and staff motivation.

Dr. Poon holds a Master of Science degree in Economics from the University of the West Indies, in her native Trinidad, and completed her doctorate in Tourism and Technology at the University of Sussex, England. A frequent speaker at tourism conferences around the world, she is the author of Tourism, Technology and Competitive Strategies, an authoritative work on the worldwide shift towards the New Tourism.

Lalia Rach, Ed.D.
Associate Dean and HVS International Industry Professor, Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management – New York University

Lalia Rach, Associate Dean of the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management and HVS International Industry Professor at New York University in New York City, is an internationally recognized tourism educator and industry leader. As Associate Dean, she is responsible for the academic and administrative operations of a global educational division including programs, conferences, personnel, budget, development, and physical facilities. In addition to advancing the curriculum of two undergraduate and three masters programs she develops marketing and recruitment strategy, designs and implements long and short range plans, and cultivates and maintains relationships with government, industry and alumni.

Dr. Rach serves as a board member on the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Foundation, NYC & Company (Convention & Visitors Bureau), New York City Academy of Travel and Tourism, and the World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Training. She is a member of the Travel Business Roundtable and the New York Hospitality Council. She serves as an Executive Advisor for Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA), and is a founding fellow of the Educational Foundation (EF) of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA).

Dr. Rach holds a B.S. and M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and an Ed.D. from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Caroline Racine
Director - Caribbean Franchise Development, Choice Hotels International

Caroline Racine serves as director of Caribbean franchise development for worldwide lodging franchisor Choice Hotels International. In this role, Ms. Racine is responsible for increasing brand awareness and distribution of the company’s 10 brands throughout the Caribbean via conversion and new construction opportunities. During her 10-year career at Choice, Ms. Racine has served in a variety of roles within the organization. While working with the Worldwide Sales & Intermediary Marketing division, Racine served as the primary interface with executives and club presidents of AAA/CAA – Choice Hotels’ largest leisure partnership. Under her leadership, the motor club revenue more than doubled from $100 million to $224 million. She maintained steady incremental revenue growth averaging eight percent year over year.

Prior to joining Choice, Racine served as lead account executive for America Online’s interactive partnership marketing initiatives, where she was responsible for generating over $100 million in partnership sales revenue per year and overall communications to top-level advertisers and partners. She also held various sales and marketing positions such as international sales planner during the launch of The Discovery Channel’s international terrestrial sales initiatives in Asia and Latin America.

In 2003, Racine was named "Hoteliers Rising Star" in Travel Agent Magazine. Caroline is a Haitian American born in Washington, DC and is bilingual in French and Creole.

Sherma Roberts, PhD
Programme Coordinator - MSc Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of the West Indies

Sherma Roberts is lecturer in tourism and programme leader for the M.Sc. Tourism and Hospitality Management program at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. She obtained her PhD in Tourism from Brunel University in 2004 and a Masters with Distinction in Tourism Planning and Development from the University of Surrey. Dr. Roberts also holds a postgraduate diploma in International Relations and therefore brings to tourism scholarship a strong political economy perspective. She has taught in the UK and published and presented papers in areas pertaining to sustainable tourism in developing countries. Her research interests include sustainable tourism, tourism entrepreneurship, community participation and the socio-cultural landscapes of tourism development.

Edward Sanders, PhD
Founding Partner, Belize Lodge & Excursions

As founding partner in Belize Lodge & Excursions (www.belizelodge.com), a 13,000-acre conservation and ecotourism project in southern Belize, Dr. Edward Sanders has more than 35 years of diverse government and private-sector international business planning and sustainable project development experience. Dr. Sanders served in senior positions with the President’s Office of Management and Budget and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, co-founded two international business consulting firms and is now a sustainable tourism consultant. A former Vice-Chairman of the Board of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), Dr. Sanders co-authored The Business of Ecolodges (TIES, 2001) and authored The U.S. Ecotourism Market (World Tourism Organization, 2002).

Leo Schefer
President, Washington Airports Task Force

Leo Schefer has served as President of Washington Airports Task Force since August 1988. Born in the U.K., he trained as an aeronautical engineer with Vicker's Armstrong Aircraft, Ltd. and came to the United States in 1965. His aerospace and air transportation experience includes the introduction of the first jet services to many smaller American cities, acquisition of U.S. landing rights for the Concorde SST, major international aerospace programs including the U.S./U.K. V/STOL Harrier, Airbus, and Europe's participation in the NASA Shuttle STS system, as well as the rapid growth of BAE System’s business in the United States during the 1980's. His work has been recognized by the Top-Side Aviation Club, Smithsonian Institution, Aviation Week, the National Aeronautic Association, and leading Northern Virginia organizations. He and his wife Jenny reside near Warrenton, VA.

Murray Simpson, PhD
Senior Research Associate, School of Geography, Oxford University Centre for the Environment

Dr. Murray Simpson is a Senior Research Associate at the School of Geography, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, an Extraordinary Associate Professor at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Visiting Professor at the University of Geneva and Treasurer and Committee Member of the UK Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change (UK and International). Murray is also a founding committee member of the experts in Climate Change and Tourism network (eCLAT).

Dr. Murray's work includes the examination of the interrelations between tourism, the environment, livelihoods, sustainable business practices and corporate social responsibility, and includes liaison with public and private stakeholders and communities; bridging the gaps between research, policy and practice. Most recently, Murray has been leading innovative work on the interrelations between climate change and tourism and the human dimensions of global environmental change.

Dr. Murray has worked with the United Nations World Tourism Organization, European Union, Association of Caribbean States, British Academy, United Nations Environment Programme and European Travel Commission. He has facilitated and chaired working groups in projects, international workshops and conferences and held positions on international tourism industry association boards. Murray has worked on projects in the UK, Europe, Australasia, South Africa, the USA, Asia, South America and the Caribbean.

Santiago Soler
Sustainable Tourism Coordinator, InterAmerican Development Bank - Multilateral Investment Fund

Santiago Soler is the founder and current Coordinator of the Sustainable Tourism Cluster of 24 Projects of the Multilateral Investment Fund of the IDB. This group of projects is being implemented in 19 countries, with 35 executing agencies, impacting approximately 6500 small & medium enterprises, for a total amount of non-reimbursable technical assistance funds of US$50 million. Soler has 20 years experience in international development projects working for management consulting companies, donor agencies and multilateral organizations, with extensive experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of tourism projects promoting SME competitiveness, technology innovation, enabling environment for business, sustainable tourism training, and environmental management systems in mostly every country of Latin America and the Caribbean. He holds an MBA in International Management / Development Economics in Latin America from George Washington University and University of Maryland.

Robert Tuchman
President & Founder, TSE Sports & Entertainment

A native New Yorker and President of Manhattan-based TSE Sports & Entertainment, Robert Tuchman heads an operation that specializes in everything from sports and entertainment hospitality and corporate events, to athlete marketing initiatives and promotions. Tuchman is known for his tremendous energy and enthusiasm for the sports and entertainment world, from which he has created a thriving, $70 million business with 60 employees and offices in Chicago, North Carolina, Cincinnati and New York. TSE Sports & Entertainment has received recognition as one of Promo Magazine’s Top 100 promotion companies for six consecutive years, A Special Events Magazine Top 50 planning company for two years and has also been selected to the Inc 500 list. Yet, Tuchman received the ultimate recognition with an investment from Chicago-based private equity firm, Pfingsten Partners in 2007.

Over the past 15 years, Tuchman has been involved with several New York-based charity organizations, including the New York Chapter of the ALS Association and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. An avid runner, he has been a part of Fred’s Team, created in memory of NYC Marathon originator Fred Lebow. This passion for competition also led Tuchman to complete two Ironman Triathlons. In addition, he enjoys playing pick-up basketball and softball in Central Park. His interests in writing and film have led him to become a board member of the Lake Placid Sports Film Festival and North American Sports Media Group.

Tuchman will release a part autobiography and part “how to” book titled, Young and Fearless (and Fed Up). He also authored 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live. Both books will be released in 2008. Furthermore, Tuchman is currently in production as co-host of Score, which will feature episodes surrounding major sporting events and the inner workings of them. He also hosts the weekly radio show Front Row with the Sports Travel Insider, Robert Tuchman, the number one-rated program on the voiceamerica.com sports channel.

Sir Dwight Venner
Governor, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank

Sir Dwight Venner is Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, a position he has held since December 1989. Prior to that, he served in the position of Director of Finance and Planning in the St Lucian Government between November 1981 and November 1989. Sir Dwight is an Economist by training and was educated at the University of the West Indies, where he obtained both a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and a Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Economics. He served as a Junior Research Fellow at the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of the West Indies and then as a Lecturer in Economics from 1974 to 1981. He has written and published extensively in the areas of Monetary and International Economics, Central Banking, Public Finance, Economic Development, Political Economy and International Economic Relations.

Sir Dwight received the award of Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1996 in St Lucia and was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate of the University of the West Indies on its 50th Anniversary in July 1998. In June 2001 he was awarded Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) in St Vincent and the Grenadines for services to the financial sector. In October 2002, Sir Dwight was recipient of an honorary degree, the Doctor of Laws from the University of the West Indies.

Joseph J. West, PhD
Dean, School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Florida International University

Dr. West is Dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University. Under his leadership the School has entered into a long-term agreement with the government of the city of Tianjin, PRC (China 's third largest city) to deliver bachelor and master degrees of hospitality management and tourism management. This program, the first of its kind in China, has its own 80-acre campus in Tianjin fully funded by the Chinese government; and, currently has an enrollment of over 650 students.

Dean West was formerly Department Chairman of Hospitality Administration, College of Business at Florida State University (FSU), and Director, Hospitality Education Program, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, State of Florida. While at FSU he was instrumental in founding and developing the University Center Club in partnership with Club Corporation of America and the Seminole Boosters. Under his leadership the Department of Hospitality Administration received the largest cash gift ever made to FSU to that time. Serving over 20 years in the U.S. Navy, West rose from Seaman Recruit to Lieutenant Commander, Medical Service Corps. He held many positions of responsibility, including tours of duty as Director of Dietary Services in three Naval Regional Medical Centers – two of which were teaching facilities.

Dean West has made many international, national and regional presentations; published numerous articles in leading industry and academic journals; and co-authored a book, now in its 3rd edition, on competition and strategy in the hospitality industry. In 2001 he was recognized as one of the most influential hospitality authors of the decade (1989-1999) by researchers at Michigan State University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has been listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. In 2004 he was honored as the Educator of the Year by the Florida Hotel and Motel Association; in 2005, he was listed among "Florida Hospitality's Most Influential People" by the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association; and in 2006 he was recognized by the South Florida Business Journal as a "Heavy Hitter in South Florida Education".

Dean West is a member of the Board of Directors of Benihana Incorporated as well as both the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Greater Miami and The Beaches Hotel Association. He is a member of the Industry Advisory Committee of the Division of Hotels and Restaurants, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, State of Florida. West received his Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from Cornell University, Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, and Doctor of Philosophy in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management from Virginia Polytechnic and State University.

Ian Williams

Ian Williams is author of ‘Rum: A Social and Sociable History of the Real Spirit of 1776’. This often rollicking page-turner, quite an achievement for a non-fiction ‘thriller’, traces the root of all rums (rhums, cachacas, aguardientes) from the first planting of sugar cane.
Ian Williams describes his subject as the "Global Spirit with its warm beating heart in the Caribbean." Williams traces the uniquely Caribbean origins of rum, "the common factor for the whole region, Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, Dutch or Papiamento-speaking."

Peter C. Yesawich
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ypartnership

Peter C. Yesawich is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ypartnership, America’s leading marketing, advertising and public relations agency serving travel, leisure and lifestyle clients. The agency represents clients in every category of the travel industry through seven offices across the United States and Europe. Yesawich is a frequent commentator on travel trends in such publications as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Time, Newsweek and Business Week, on the CNN, CNBC and MSNBC cable television networks, and on National Public Radio. He serves as a featured columnist in several industry trade publications and has authored numerous articles on marketing and advertising strategy in professional journals. Listed in Who's Who in America, Yesawich is the recipient of the World Travel Award from the American Association of Travel Editors, The Albert E. Koehl Award from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, and the Silver Medal from the American Advertising Federation. He is also a member of the HSMAI Hall of Fame, and former member of the board of directors of the Travel Industry Association of America. Yesawich attended both Cornell and Yale universities, and holds a doctorate in marketing and applied psychology.