The Travel Institute names new vice chair, reappoints board chair

The Travel Institute has appointed David Chait, CTIE, CEO and founder of Travefy, Inc., as vice chair of its board of directors. 

Gary Pollard, CTC, president and CEO of Ambassador Tours, will serve a second term as board chair, a position he has held since 2022.

"Serving on The Travel Institute's Board during a period in which our industry has seen enormous growth with an inflow of new advisors, I'm more bullish than ever on the transformational power of education and certification in elevating business outcomes," Chait said. 

"My passion for this industry, dominated by small businesses and solopreneurs, runs deep. It's why Travefy builds software to help businesses grow, why I'm so passionate about The Travel Institute's mission, and why I'm honoured now to serve as vice chair." 

Chait joined the board in spring 2024.

Reflecting on Chait's appointment, Pollard said, "As a board member, David has already been a tremendous asset to The Travel Institute, and I could not be more pleased he is bringing his incredible intellect, talent, and time to engage at an even greater level now."

"For me, it's about the continued pursuit of excellence for our industry. I'm excited about the progress we've made as an organization, and I am committed to ensuring we continue to elevate both individuals and our entire industry through education and certification," Pollard said. 

He first became a board member in 2009 and previously served as vice chair.

The appointments were announced during the board's recent multi-day meeting, where leadership presented updates on several initiatives. 

These include the recently launched Education Hub, a 24/7 on-demand learning resource; an Alumni Initiative providing additional support for CTA, CTC, and CTIE graduates; and the upcoming 12th edition of Travel Career Development (TCD), the organization's flagship training textbook.

"The meeting was truly monumental. We have a high-performing, passionate team and a generous, diverse board—both willing to give their time, talent and more. As a collective team, we left the meeting with great optimism and even more energy than we brought to it. The industry should be excited to see what this group does next," Pollard said.

He added that The Travel Institute "is poised for continued strong performance and momentum ensuring industry newcomers are job ready and that travel professionals at all levels continue to grow so that the industry prospers from their efforts."

The organization's president, Diane Petras, CTIE, announced her retirement in August and will step down at year-end. She will continue in an advisory capacity.

"This meeting further confirmed what I already know very well—The Travel Institute is in the best shape it's ever been, which makes it easy for me to let go and leave it in the capable hands of my team and this board," Petras said.

Chait said Petras' leadership "has left an indelible mark on The Travel Institute and on the industry as a whole. Going forward, our top priorities are to build upon her work while continuing to find new ways to support an ever-evolving industry. We will meet advisors and organizations where they are at with updated courses, newer technologies, and support for evolving agency business models."

"Diane's contributions to The Travel Institute cannot be overstated," Pollard said. "She's taken both The Travel Institute—and our entire industry—to a higher level. We will honor her legacy with a relentless focus on the advancement of student education, stakeholder engagement, and funding opportunities necessary for even greater success."

The search for Petras' successor is ongoing, with an announcement expected by year-end.

The Travel Institute's executive committee includes Pollard, Chait and Evan McElligott, CTA, president of Longer Vacations. 

Additional board members include Rick Baron, CTC; Laurie Bohn-Isaure, CTIE; Drew Daly, CTIE; Jackie Friedman, CTIE; Angela Hughes, CTC; Rick Meadows, CTC; Alex Pinelo, CTIE; Jill Romano, CTA; and honourary board member emeritus Horst Schulze.

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