ORLANDO -- In July, Nexion Travel Group senior vice president of operations Robbi Jumaa Hamida died after a five-year battle with cancer at the age of 50. This week at the annual CoNexion conference at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Nexion paid tribute to Hamida, remembering the impact he had.
CoNexion was one of Hamida's favorite times of the year, said Nexion president Jackie Friedman.
"He was so much more than a teammate. He was family," Friedman said on stage at the event. "If you knew him, you knew his larger-than-life personality, his fierce loyalty and his deep industry expertise. And, of course, his unforgettable collection of outrageous suits that lit up our CoNexion stage year after year."
At CoNexion, Hamida was known for wearing brightly colored and patterned suits on stage.
Hamida, an aviation enthusiast, had worked at Nexion since 2008. Before that, he worked for American Express Travel and United Airlines.
"He loved the energy, the connection, the joy, and most of all, the people," Friedman said. "Today, his spirit is woven into everything that we do. His legacy lives on in this community that he helped build, and the lives that he touched -- so many of you in this room."
His husband, Warren Bowler, attended the conference.
CoNexion emcee Martin Mussey, Nexion's business development and education manager, wore a bright suit jacket covered in multicolored smiley faces on stage in Hamida's honor. His United Airlines socks, adorned with airplanes, were also a nod to Hamida.
This year's CoNexion fundraiser for the Family Bonds Foundation was dedicated to the memory of Hamida. Some of his suits were part of a raffle. Half of the proceeds will be given to his charity of choice, the Chicago Architecture Center, with the other half going to the Family Bonds Foundation, the charitable arm of Internova (Nexion's parent company).
Nexion award renamed
Friedman announced that Nexion would rename its Ambassador Award the Robbi Hamida Ambassador Award.
"This award embodies and reflects so many of the values that were near and dear to Robbi," she said. "He believed in the power of connection and building bridges between people and in lifting others up along the way. He was a leader, a cheerleader, and, above all, a unifier."
Nexion president Jackie Friedman (right) with travel advisor Rachel Kerr, the winner of the Robbi Hamida Ambassador Award. Photo Credit: Jamie Biesiada
This year's recipient was travel advisor Rachel Kerr, owner of Globe-Treks Consulting, who helps run Nexion's Military in Travel Facebook page and its Young Professionals Network.
Kerr also works to connect new advisors with seasoned advisors for mentoring, Friedman said, and works with Royal Caribbean International's sales team to ensure Nexion members take advantage of promotions available. She is among Nexion's top 100 sellers of preferred suppliers.
"She's a connector, a leader, a collaborator and an inspiration," Friedman said.
Mussey closed out the general sessions on Sept. 8 by removing his brightly covered jacket and placing it on a chair next to the same jacket draped on another chair. The second jacket had been Hamida's. Both jackets were up for auction at CoNexion.
The session ended with a tribute video to Hamida, featuring photos of him through the years. It finished with a quote from Hamida: "Remember to reflect, remember to chill, remember to smile."
Martin Mussey’s jacket hangs on a chair next to one worn by the late Robbi Hamida as a tribute video to Hamida plays. Photo Credit: Jamie Biesiada