Kimberly Wilson Wetty wants to set the record straight on a rumor circulating among industry gossips that her family had recently sold Valerie Wilson Travel (No. 27 on Travel Weekly’s 2010 Power List) to the Carlson Companies.

"Absolutely not true," insisted Wilson, who with her sister, Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, serves as co-president of VWT. Kimberly told Travel Weekly that the family-owned and operated agency is "not for sale" and that family members "haven't spoken to Carlson or anyone else."

In fact, she noted, "We're just going into the second generation of our family business."

Valerie Ann Wilson, the founder, chairman and CEO of the New York agency, tapped her daughters, Jennifer and Kimberly, as co-presidents in 2005 and transferred 48% of the company’s stock to them, with each daughter receiving 24%.

-- Rob Fixmer