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Atlas Travel has announced a corporate expansion plan with four key new hires, the creation of a Business Development/Account Management hub in the mid-lower Atlantic region and plans to expand into the Midwest. The announcement comes just weeks after the hiring of Lea Cahill as the new COO and the announcement that Atlas is the first travel management company to adopt the Amadeus One platform. In January of this year, Atlas expanded Business Development resources in New York rounding out the North East.
"Much of our strength has come from building a nationwide network of dedicated Atlas travel consultants in 22 states, complemented by a global network of affiliates around the world," said Atlas President and CEO Elaine Osgood. "We have been strategically picking up business with companies nationally and globally during the economically challenged times. Now this expansion in both business development and account management allows us to continue our successful growth, showcasing our expertise by putting key Atlas Travel staff on the ground to meet the needs of customers in new regions. We have grown our business with a unique combination of personal touch, relationship building and selecting and customizing travel technology. We plan to create Business Development/Account Management Hubs in regions across the U.S., with the Midwest coming next and further expansion under consideration. This is the largest investment in our senior executive team in our company history."
The newest members of the Atlas team are:
– Christine Conrow as Director of Business Development, Lower Mid-Atlantic Region
– Susan Yee as an Account Executive Lower Mid-Atlantic Region
– Theresa Ryan as Director of Client Services
– Sharon Sorensen as Director of Corporate Programs
The Mid-Atlantic hub is located in Washington, D.C., and will be headed by Christine Conrow. Prior to joining Atlas, Ms. Conrow worked as an Area Leader for FCm Travel Solutions (formerly Garber Travel). Ms. Conrow has over 16 years of travel industry experience as an operations and relationship manager in the Washington area.
"Creating these hubs gives us greater opportunity to meet with clients directly," said Ms. Conrow. "Atlas recently surveyed potential and existing clients and we found that our clients wanted greater emphasis on local and face-to-face service. So, while we still have a vast number of employees working virtually, and capable of handling travel needs from all over the country, this expansion adds to our ability to provide the personalized service that drives year-over-year growth for Atlas."
Also joining the Atlas team is Susan Yee, who previously worked as a Manager of Global Education for the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE). Prior to her time with ACTE, Ms. Yee has held several positions within the travel industry.
"Atlas has a unique reputation for providing customer support that goes above and beyond the norm," said Ms. Yee. "My role is just to extend that arm so that we can enhance our service in key regions."
The third new member of the Atlas team is Theresa Ryan, who previously worked with American Express and later FCm Travel Solutions leading Account Management. She has years of experience in both operations and account management with over 25 years of travel industry experience overall.
"Atlas has a reputation for being proactive with recommendations to help clients solve problems and save money and I want to take that to the next level," said Ms. Ryan. "We’ll be looking at trends in key markets for our travelers and staying ahead of the curve so we maximize savings. These are things that Atlas has done all along, but as we grow and service new accounts, the team is growing to meet those needs. I’ll also be working with our training department to enhance resources and help the account management team to anticipate important industry trends."
And finally, Sharon Sorensen has been selected to enhance Atlas communication and information surrounding the various corporate programs offered to both Atlas Travel’s national and global customer base. As a marketing professional with 10 years in the travel industry specializing in global programs, Sharon brings expertise in organic and new sale growth and will focus her efforts on educating and supporting the Business Development and Account Management teams at Atlas.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
