Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced today the inductees into the 2014 CLIA Hall of Fame. Howard Frank, Former Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Operating Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc, current Chairman of the Board, Costa Crociere S.p.A, a unit of Carnival and Chairman, CLIA Board of Directors, the “Outstanding Cruise Industry Executive”; Uf Tukel and Don Walker, Co-Presidents and Founders of WMPH Vacations are “Outstanding Cruise Retailers”; and Brad and Jeff Tolkin, Co-Chairmen and CEOs of World Travel Holdings, are “Cruise Sales Innovators.” The 2014 inductees will be honored at a gala event on April 5, 2014 during the 10th anniversary cruise3sixty conference and trade show, taking place April 2-6, 2014 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
The CLIA Hall of Fame honors those individuals, past and present, whose efforts and accomplishments represent a significant contribution to, and a positive impact on, the cruise industry. Honorees are selected based on open nominations from CLIA's membership, followed by a review by the CLIA Trade Relations Committee.
“During this very special 10th Anniversary of cruise3sixty and as we look to an exciting next decade of growth, it is particularly noteworthy that this year’s honorees have all played such significant roles in building and shaping the industry,” said CLIA President & CEO Christine Duffy. “And, they have all been among CLIA’s strongest supporters for many years,” she added.
Howard Frank, Former Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Operating Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc, current Chairman of the Board, Costa Crociere S.p.A, a unit of Carnival and Chairman, CLIA Board of Directors: Outstanding Cruise Industry Executive
Howard Frank was named chairman of Genoa, Italy-based Costa Crociere S.p.A, a division of Carnival Corporation & plc and a major force in cruising throughout Europe, Asia and South America, in January 2014.
Frank joined Carnival Corporation as Senior Vice President-Finance and Chief Operating Officer in July 1989. He has been Director, Vice Chairman of the board of directors and Chief Operating Officer of Carnival plc since 2003.
Last November, after 25 years with Carnival Corporation which included serving as Chief Operating Officer and Vice Chairman since 1998, Frank stepped down to serve as special advisor to the CEO and to the Chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc, which operates 10 brands that collectively operate 101 ships totaling approximately 208,000 lower berths.
Before joining Carnival, Frank was the partner in charge of accounting and auditing services with the South Florida offices of Price Waterhouse.
Frank serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for CLIA, providing strategic counsel and oversight to the association.
Uf Tukel and Don Walker, Co-Presidents and Founders, WMPH Vacations: Outstanding Cruise Retailers
Uf Tukel and Don Walker co-founded WMPH Vacations, a multi-branded cruise and vacation agency in Delray Beach, Fla., in 2004. Today, WMPH, which stands for We Make People Happy, has 120 employees and operates under a number of brands including iCruise.com, AlaskaCruises.com, EuropeCruises.com and CruiseCheap.com. WMPH also provides private-label cruise fulfillment for other travel companies.
Tukel’s industry experience includes co-founding Cruise Outlet of the Carolinas in 1992 - one of the Internet’s first cruise retailers. In 1998, he sold Cruise Outlet to Travel Services International and became Vice President of Internet Marketing for TSI's cruise division. Tukel personally has been a member of CLIA since 1992 and holds Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC) certification. He has also served on CLIA’s Travel Agent Advisory Board (TAAB) representing WMPH.
Walker began his career washing cars for Alamo when he was in college. He climbed the ranks and eventually became a Regional Vice President. After Alamo, Don served as Vice President for tech-start up Orbit Network, Auto Europe, and Travel Services International.
Brad and Jeff Tolkin, Co-Chairmen & CEOs, World Travel Holdings: Cruise Sales Innovators
Brad and Jeff Tolkin each have more than 25 years of experience as an operating executive in the travel industry. Prior to co-founding World Travel Holdings in 2005, the Tolkins owned and operated Travel Impressions, one of the country's most successful privately-held travel wholesalers. In 1992, the Tolkins acquired Empress Travel, a retail travel agency with 40 stores, and expanded the chain to include more than 100 locations.
In only nine years, the Tolkins have grown World Travel Holdings to become the world’s leading cruise agency building a portfolio of more than 35 owned and partner cruise brands including agencies in the UK. The company’s positive impact on the cruise industry’s success has been recognized this year by two of the largest cruise lines with their highest honors — Norwegian Cruise Line’s Elite Agency of the Year and Royal Caribbean International’s President’s Award for Overall Achievement.
Under the Tolkins’ leadership, World Travel Holdings has been recognized as cruise sales innovators for its creative marketing efforts and customer loyalty initiatives. Also, its innovative employee engagement programs have won the company top honors as Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces for three years in a row.
The 2014 gala CLIA Hall of Fame Dinner is a centerpiece of cruise3sixty, following three days of general sessions, newly revamped educational seminars and workshops, a record 24 ship inspections, a trade show and other professional development and social events. A highlight of the Hall of Fame evening will showcase performances of shipboard entertainment offered by Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.
Previous CLIA Hall of Fame honorees include:
Cruise Retailer:
- Joe Ewart – CruiseOne/Cruises, Inc. - 2005
- Bob & Judy Falcone – Cruises, Inc., - 2005
- Marvin Davis – Cruise Planners - 2005
- Fred Kassner – GoGo Vacations / Liberty Travel -2006
- Kathy and Leo Falkensammer, owners, Prestige Travel -2007
- Joanie Ogg – Past President, NACTA - 2008
- Walter Sherota – Gold Coast Travel -2009
- Phil & Doris Davidoff – Belair Travel - 2010
- Matthew Upchurch – Virtuoso– 2010
- Michele Morgan – Signature Travel - 2011
- Charlie & Sherrie Funk – Just Cruisin' Plus - 2012
- Michelle Fee - Cruise Planners/American Express® Travel - 2013
Cruise Line Executive:
- Ted Arison – Carnival Cruise Lines - 2005
- Richard Revnes – Royal Cruise Line - 2005
- Warren Titus – Royal Viking Line - 2005
- Bob Dickinson – Carnival Cruise Line - 2006
- Knut Kloster – Norwegian Cruise Line - 2007
- Richard D. Fain – Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. - 2007
- A. Kirk Lanterman – Holland America Line - 2008
- Edwin Stephan – Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.-2009
- Micky Arison – Carnival Corporation – 2010
- Richard Sasso – MSC Cruises - 2011
- Maurice Zarmati – Carnival Cruise Lines - 2012
- Mark Conroy – Regent Seven Seas Cruises - 2013
Cruise Sales Innovator:
- Brad and Van Anderson – AVOYA Travel/American Express - 2012
- Michael Drever - CruiseShipCenters International - 2013
At – Large:
- Joel Abels – Travel Trade - 2005
- Bob Kwortnik – CLIA (Special Recognition Award) - 2005
- “The Love Boat” Television Series - 2006
- Deborah Natansohn – Orient Lines, Cunard, Seabourn Cruise Line - 2007
- Donna Flora – American Express - 2008
- Joyce Landry & Jo Kling, Landry & Kling - 2009
- Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH) – 2010
- United States Coast Guard – 2011
