The National Tour Association announced that Lisa Simon, CTP, president of the North American professional travel organization, is stepping down after nearly 30 years with the organization at the end of the year.
Catherine Prather, currently NTA’s senior vice president, will step into the role as interim president at the beginning of the New Year.
Lisa has sat in the president’s seat for the past seven years. The decision was mutual between Lisa and NTA leadership, according to a Nov. 26 news release announcing Lisa’s departure.
“I have worked with NTA for nearly half of its 62-year existence and have loved every minute of it,” says Lisa. “But I have always believed that change brings growth and excitement, and I know this change will bring that to me and to NTA.”
Growth has been Lisa’s cornerstone at NTA. During her nearly 30-year career at the organization that was founded in 1951, she has led it in its first co-located annual convention with the United Motorcoach Association at Travel Exchange, guided the association in developing a strategic business focus on growth travel markets including China inbound travel and faith-based travel, led the initiative to expand NTA’s international presence, and helped with the organization’s move from a management firm to a self-managed association, according to the release.
Lisa began her career at NTA in 1985. She served as the association’s vice president (1998 – 2004) and managed the association’s education, certification and marketing activities as well as the director of the National Tourism Foundation and vice president of Marketing, according to her biography on NTA’s website.
“I have been with NTA for most of my professional career, and during that time, we have seen an incredible amount of growth and change. I believe this is the right time for me to find new challenges and the right time for new leadership to take the association into its next phase of growth.”
Praising Lisa for her “tireless dedication” and leadership during her tenure as president, Mark Hoffmann, CTP, NTA chairman and CEO, says, “We will sorely miss her experience, her steady leadership and her strong advocacy for our membership.”
NTA’s Board of Directors is taking immediate steps to conduct a national executive search, according to the release.
The NTA Board of Directors will take steps immediately to conduct a national executive search.
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