Stephen Goulding
Where were you born? In Hamilton.
How long have you been in the business? I’m in my 15th year now. My first job was working with Budget Rent A Car in corporate rental.
How many people work for you? I have 2 commercial account managers.
What’s the best part of the job? You know what? The people I work around and with.
What did you want to be as a kid? I was one of those kids who changed their minds every 6 months. But originally a mechanic of some sort.
What was your first job? Working in a greenhouse, pulling weeds! Boiling in all that heat!
What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done? Probably the first time I bungee jumped in a park in Florida – totally out of my comfort zone. But the very scariest thing I’ve ever done was building my own house.
Any guilty pleasures? I don’t mind a cold beverage once in a while. (Laughs)
What’s your favourite airline, apart from WestJet? Everyone has a lot of great stuff out there, and I do enjoy any airline which has a culture of making flying a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Favourite hotel? I stayed once at the Fairmont Kona in Hawaii and I thought it was absolute paradise.
What’s on your iPad? Aside from work? (Laughs). No music, but I definitely have some simple games including the old arcade classic PacMan.
What do people not know about you? I used to drag race when I was 19, 20. I even built my own car.
Any hobbies or interests? On the fitness side, I’m into weightlifting and running. And when it comes to family, there’s my 6 year old daughter Isabel, who’s wonderful. She makes life happen.
When were you happiest? The moment I set eyes on Isabel. Such a surreal moment.
Is there anything you won’t eat? Turnip.
What’s at the top of your bucket list? 3 things: a drive through Napa Valley in a convertible; backpacking through Europe since I missed doing that; and Fiji.
Ever had a brush with fame? Many, including Al Pacino. Very, very quirky guy.
What keeps you awake at night? I sleep pretty well!
What is your greatest extravagance? Dining out – extravagantly.
How do you stay fit when you travel? Running and the hotel gym.
If you could change 1 thing about the industry what would it be? Let’s focus on the product, the service levels, and not so much on how we are going to make extravagant amounts of money.
If you could sit next to anyone on a long-haul flight, who would it be? Richard Branson.
What kind of car do you drive? A GMC Sierra pick-up truck.
Do you have a favourite charity? Sick Kids in Toronto.
What will be the biggest challenge for the industry in the next 12 months? We will continue to be faced with over-capacity issues.
What do you hope to be doing in 10 years? I’d like to get more involved in charity work.
