TravelManagers frock up for a fancy gala

TravelManagers concluded their Annual National Conference with a gala dinner at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

TravelManagers’ executive gm, Michael Gazal, says the evening was a fitting end to a highly successful three-day event that brought together personal travel managers (PTMs) and industry partners from all over Australia.

“We’ve had some fantastic keynote speakers who have really got everyone in the company buzzing. To finish the weekend by formally recognising our top achievers was just the icing on the cake,” Gazal said.

There were two new award categories this year, the first of which was the Dedication Award, celebrating ten years working in partnership with TravelManagers. This was awarded to Lisa Metzl, representative for North Avoca in New South Wales.

The other new category was the Advocate Award, which recognises at a local level the PTM who is judged by the Partnership team to be an outstanding advocate of the brand within the travel industry. This year, the award went to Mel Carter, representative for Scorseby, Victoria.

During the course of the evening, awards were handed out for top new personal travel manager, most improved personal travel manager and top personal travel manager (all of these were awarded both by state and overall).

“Our awards ceremony is also an opportunity to celebrate those among the TravelManagers family who make an outstanding contribution to the company in other ways,” Gazal said.

“Our National Partnership Office (NPO) selected Mel Whyte, representative for Devonport in Tasmania, to receive the Recognition Award, which is given to someone who always adheres to policy and procedure, engages with the business and other PTMs and is the all-round ‘Good Guy’”.

In return, the PTMs chose Jose Canas, Fares and Ticketing Manager, to receive the TravelManagers Support Award, which goes to someone in the NPO team who has gone ‘above and beyond’ in the past year.

As the evening drew to its climax, awards were handed out for Best Customer Service (Karen Farley, representative for Thornlands, Queensland) and the Spirit Award (awarded to Nicole Edgar, representative for Narre Warren South, Victoria) which is given in recognition of any person either within or external to TravelManagers who has been fundamental to developing, maintaining and enhancing TravelManagers’ unique culture.

The Choice Award, voted for by PTMs to recognise a fellow PTM for willingness to help, professionalism, upholding the TravelManagers brand and developing the unique culture within the business, was awarded to Luke Vaughan, representative for Hawthorn East in Victoria.

Triple award winner Melanie Whyte is congratulated on her Recognition award by the National partnership Office’s Pru Gallagher

Chairman Barry Mayo presents PTM Nicole Edgar, representative for Narre Warren South, with TravelManagers “Spirit” award

PTM Rebecca Crosbie celebrates her win as “Personal Travel Manager of the Year” together with colleagues (from left to right) Grant Campbell, Barry Mayo, Joe Araullo and Michael Gazal

EGM Michael Gazal couldn’t resist giving triple award winner and Personal Travel Manager of the Year Rebecca Crosbie a huge celebratory hug

Qantas Holidays represented by Fiona Dalton and Paula Moylan celebrate their win as “Partner Supplier of the Year” with Joe Araullo, Barry Mayo, Grant Campbell and Michael Gazal

Winners recognized at TravelManagers 2015 Awards Presentation (from left to right) included Ric Pattaro, Lisa Metzl, Jose Canas, Karen Farley, Marie Miller, John Lengacher, Melanie Whyte, Lea Burford, Rebecca Crosbie, Melanie Carter, Luke Vaughan and James Hermiston

CEO Joe Araullo presents PTM Melanie Carter, representative for Scoresby with TravelManagers “Advocate” award

The awards part of the Gala Dinner was concluded by celebrating the achievements of the top ten PTMs for 2015, followed by the Personal Travel Manager of Year award, which this year went to Rebecca Crosbie, representative for Cardigan, Victoria.

“In all, this weekend has served to illustrate the incredible wealth of talent that exists within TravelManagers.”

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au