WASHINGTON --
Travel Weeklys Alan Fredericks and former Travel Industry
Association (TIA) President William Norman were named to the Travel
Industry Hall of Leaders by the TIA.
Fredericks and
Norman will be inducted at the Travel Industry National Awards Gala
at the Westin Seattle on Oct. 27, becoming the 74th and 75th travel
industry figures to be honored since the TIA established the Hall
of Leaders in 1969.
Previous honorees
include Curtis Carlson, Arthur Tauck, Bill Marriott, Jonathan
Tisch, Bob Dickinson, Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye and Walt
Disney.
Travel Weeklys
founder, Irwin Robinson, was honored in 1985.
The TIA created
the honor to recognize sustained and distinguished contributions
that have had a positive impact on the overall travel and tourism
industry.
TIA President and CEO Roger
Dow said, Few individuals have had the opportunity to chronicle the
progress and fortunes of our diverse industry over the past four
decades and use it as wisely as Alan Fredericks. Alan has been a
steady voice of U.S. travel and tourism, and his counsel has been
an important ingredient in the growth of this great
industry.
Travel Weekly
Editor in Chief Arnie Weissmann, in a nomination letter earlier
this year, said Fredericks transformed not only a publication but
an industry. By holding the Travel Weekly staff to the highest
standards of journalism, he kept the industrys professionals well
informed with the news, analysis and research they needed to be
successful.
Weissmann added,
In Alans current role as vice president and editorial director, he
has mentored journalists at Travel Weekly, TravelAge West and
Meetings & Conventions. It is, perhaps, in this role that his
influence will be most lasting.
Long after he
retires, the people he trained will continue to bring the highest
standard of news reporting and analysis to the industry, and his
impact on the industry will continue well into the 21st
century.
After beginning
his career in broadcasting, Fredericks joined Travel Weekly in 1966
and became managing editor in 1967. He was named editor in 1972, a
position he held until 1997.
Fredericks took
on the additional duties of vice president and editorial director
of the parent company in 1987.
In nominating
Fredericks, Weissmann stressed that Alan has a gift of connecting
to those whom he writes about and writes for, a gift he displays
not only in print but from behind the podium, having won widespread
acclaim for his prowess as a presenter and moderator at industry
events.
When told of the
induction, Fredericks said, Im very grateful for this recognition
of my work. After nearly 40 years, Im glad to have been a part of
this great industry.
Norman, the TIAs
immediate past president and CEO, stepped down in January after a
10-year tenure.
While at the TIA,
Norman was credited with leading the successful expansion of Visit
USA marketing efforts on behalf of the industry and the
establishment of the SeeAmerica brand.
Under Normans
leadership, the TIA also played a key role in ensuring that new
government visa and security procedures were balanced by renewed
efforts to welcome international visitors to the U.S.
Travel was a
second career for Norman, who served as a commissioned officer in
the U.S. Navy for 11 years before joining the private sector in
1973 with the Cummins Engine Co. He rose to the position of vice
president of the Eastern Division before leaving to join Amtrak in
1979 as vice president of marketing.
In 1986, Norman
was promoted to executive vice president, the railroads
second-ranking corporate officer.
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