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Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
is proud to announce the 2015 Cruise Industry Hall of Fame Inductees. The CLIA
Hall of Fame recognizes individuals, past and present, whose efforts and
accomplishments represent a significant contribution to the cruise industry. The
2015 inductees will be honored at a gala dinner during the CLIA cruise3sixty
conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on April 23, 2015, at the Broward County
Convention Center.
Congratulations to the 2015 Cruise Industry Hall of Fame Inductees:
* Mark and Mimi Comfort – Cruise Retailer Award: Mark and Mimi Comfort
opened Cruise Holidays of Kansas City on November 14, 1988, with the goal of
being a cruise-only travel agency. Their business model was to be marketing led,
sales driven and customer service focused. The mission was not to become the
largest agency, but a role model for the cruise industry, creating memories
lasting a lifetime for their clients.
The Comforts are proactive and aggressive marketers, consistently holding
consumer events, speaking to organizations, producing a 16-page quarterly
newsletter distributed to more than 32,000 past passengers and advertising
heavily on Vacation Views, Mark’s weekly radio show of more than 17 years.
Cruise Holidays of Kansas City has been the number one U.S. store in the Cruise
Holidays franchise system for 23 years. They attribute their success and
numerous awards to an incredible staff of 26 hard working, knowledgeable and
caring employees.
The Comforts love the cruise industry as much now as they did 26 years ago and
embrace the changes that have taken place. They continue to learn and grow their
knowledge to continue to be a professional and respected agency.
* Roderick K. McLeod – Cruise Line Executive Award: Rod McLeod’s launch
into the cruise industry began at a Miami-based advertising agency, working on
the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Ltd. account. McLeod left the agency to join
Royal Caribbean’s founding management team as the Line’s first marketing
director. He is widely credited with leading an innovative marketing and sales
organization that enabled Royal Caribbean to emerge as one of the cruise
industry’s most powerful and sustainable brands. In 1996, after nearly 25
successful years with the Cruise Line, he left his position as Executive Vice
President of Sales, Marketing & Passenger Services. In 2002, McLeod re-joined
Royal Caribbean in a senior staff position working on industry relations and
internal consulting projects.
McLeod has also held the following cruise industry positions:
• President and Chief Operating Officer, Norwegian Cruise Line
• Senior Vice President of Marketing, Carnival Corporation
• President and Chief Operating Officer, American Classic Voyages
• Co-founder, McLeod.Applebaum & Partners, a management advisory practice
serving the needs of vacation travel and cruise tourism providers
Throughout McLeod’s career, he was actively involved in many travel industry
associations, including serving twice as the Chairman of the Managing Committee
of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). McLeod is currently retired
and lives in Longwood, FL.
* Wayne and Judy Heller – Cruise Sales Innovator Award: Wayne Heller has
had a professional and personal passion for cruising for most of his adult life.
After graduating from Florida State University, he was hired by Norwegian Cruise
Line. Heller held various positions providing invaluable cross training in
passenger services and sales.
In 1984, Wayne and his wife Judy pursued their entrepreneurial dream and opened
Cruises Only Inc., a retail travel agency specializing in cruises. By 1997,
Cruises Only was North America’s largest cruise agency. To further the company’s
success, the Hellers, along with four other entities, co-founded Travel Services
International (TSI). Together, Wayne and Judy were responsible for establishing
procedures and policies enabling the TSI cruise division to maximize profits,
reduce unit costs and expand markets. By 2000, the division had purchased more
than 20 companies and generated sales of more than $500 million making TSI the
largest seller of cruises in the world.
Since leaving TSI in 2000, the Hellers have
concentrated on business ventures, including creating Origin Cruise Group. In
2011, they restored the 130 year-old Riverview Hotel & Spa complex in New Smyrna
Beach, Florida. |
