How long have you been in the business? All my life. My Dad owned Budget Rent A Car franchises and my Mum was a station manager at Rouyn-Noranda for Air Canada.
What was your first job? I was a Sales Manager for Tilden, based in Ottawa.
Ever had a brush with fame? I met many pro hockey players the summer I was a Molson Rep. I gained 22 pounds that summer, but what a great job!
What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done? A 90 foot bungee jump in Ottawa.
What’s your favourite airline? WestJet, because they’re a tremendous customer, and because I like the spirit of the company.
What do people not know about you? That I make the best ribs on the planet!
What will be the biggest challenge for the industry in the next 12 months? There will be more mergers, consolidation, and overcapacity.
Whom do you most respect in the industry? The Hunter family, for what they’ve accomplished in so little time.
If you could change one thing about the industry what would it be? More agencies need to be technology savvy. Those who are will win; those who aren’t may fall behind.
They say that keeping staff is one of the biggest challenges in our business. What is it that Softvoyage does to retain staff? We try to treat them as human beings and take care of their needs.
If you could sit next to anyone on a long haul flight who would it be? Nelson Mandela.
What book’s on your bedside table? “You say tomato. I say shut up!” A hilarious book about marriage.
What is your major bugbear about travelling? Security.
Who’s the smartest person you know? Steven Ringuet and Moise Levy, founders of Softvoyage – without a doubt.
What do you hope to be doing in 10 years? Hopefully still plugging away at Softvoyage. And still playing hockey Monday nights!
