2017 Skål USA Journeys, Volume 2
Table of Contents President’s Message ● FV Fund Update ● Skål USA Updates ● Skål Event Information ● Community Involvement ● Skål USA Resource Center ● Skål USA Club Event Roundup ● Skål USA Shop
A Message from the Skål USA President
Dear Skålleagues, It seems impossible to me that we are already at the halfway mark in our term of office. The past few months have been busy but we have accomplished a great deal. As our Executive Committee (EC) stated in January our priority was membership growth/retention and communication. Clubs have expressed how much they enjoy the monthly calls from our EC members. It is a little thing that has been a success. By October each President and Skål USA Representative will have had a call from every member of our EC. Membership is a priority and although we have lost the Hampton Roads club we were able to save 6 dedicated members as Active Individual Members and help the Charlotte club reorganize and go forward and I am very excited to announce the establishment of the first
new Skål club in 17 years in Richmond, VA. A group have met and agreed to form the club. They have selected their officers and Board and are in the process of collecting membership dues from 22 interested people. They have also invited the 6 remaining Active Individual members of the Hampton Roads club, Active to join this club. We are also working on establishing new clubs in Phoenix, Fresco, Savannah and Southwest Florida. This is our main focus. Skål must be relevant and to that end I travelled to Washington DC to meet with the large NGO’s to discuss Skål having a place at the table when it comes to important issues and being recognized as a trusted voice in the tourism industry. Our efforts were rewarded as the meetings were embraced and we walked away with not just a photo opportunity but strong relationships. Roger Dow, President and CEO of US Travel provided us with three VIP Registrations to IPW and the ability to walk the floor and meet prospective new members and discuss new club locations with others. The event was of tremendous value to Skål USA. I had the great honor of attending a joint meeting of the Northern NJ, Atlantic City, Philadelphia and NE Pennsylvania club. The meeting was also attended by President Keith Hyatt of the NY Skål Club. I also was a guest at the New York Skål Club past Presidents luncheon and help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Skål Ft Lauderdale/Palm Beaches. A big thanks to all of these clubs for 1
hosting me. I enjoyed being a part of these great events. The North American Skål Congress, held this past weekend in Toronto was a great success. Skål International Toronto did a magnificent job organizing the event. Our Annual General Meeting and National Committee Meeting were well attended and a great success with meaningful discussions and the passing of needed by-law changes. The positive feedback has been wonderful. Brigitta Amman from SI San Francisco said it best:
Joint Skål meeting in Princeton, New Jersey.
“SOOO IMPRESSED with you and your Board! Amical is alive within Skål USA – Again! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you” We are now preparing for our National Committee Meeting (NCM) that will be held on Friday, August 25 at 3PM. In order to save our clubs, the expense to send delegates to another meeting we are trying for the first time to hold this meeting as a webinar. Please plan to have your President, Skål USA Representative or another Board member participate. We plan for this meeting to be only 2 hours long so we expect all clubs to participate. A request for clubs to host the upcoming Winter Board Meeting has been sent and we hope that your clubs will consider placing a bid to host this event. It is a simple meeting to host as money is already budgeted to pay for the EC accommodations, meeting and some meals. Details are posted in this newsletter.
President Holly Powers with Steve Richer, and Katie Dennis and Malcom Smith of US Travel at their offices.
Thank you again for the honor of serving as your President. Working together we can make Skål USA the most relevant and exciting club for you and future members to belong. Skål,
President Holly Powers with Don Welch, President & CEO of Destination Marketing, Washington, D.C.
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Florimond Volckaert Fund (FVF) Update
What is the Florimond Volckaert Fund? President Holly Powers with Zhein Yan, Chairman of American Rainbow Tours International, and friends in Rockville, MD.
The Florimond Volckaert Fund (FVF) was set up in 1954, in the name of the acknowledged founder of Skål, to provide assistance to Skålleagues and their immediate families who are in serious need of assistance, during times of desperation. If a Skålleague is in need of help, an application should be sent to either the President of your Club or the Skål USA International Councillor, who will convey the application to the three FVF Trustees. They will assess the request and quickly come to a decision.
President Holly Powers with Steve Richer and Julie Heizer, National Office of Travel and Tourism, at the Dept. of Commerce, March 2017.
Policy Change: As previously advised, all donations to the FVF must be received by Skål USA within the calendar year for which the donation is intended. Donations received after the deadline will be considered and recognized for the succeeding year. We can no longer account for pre-payments or accept payments after the deadline based on when the funds are required to be transferred to Skål International.
The deadline for 2017 FVF contributions is December 1, 2017. Donations from the clubs help make the FVF viable and able fulfill its special purpose. We would like to recognize the following for their contributions in 2017:
Steve Richer and President Holly Powers visiting the American Bus Association, Eric Braendel, Peter Pantuso, and Matt Manousoff the Administrators of Skål USA.
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SI New York SI Charlotte SI Tampa Bay SI Atlantic City SI San Jose SI Arkansas SI Orlando 3
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SI Boise SI Boston SI Tuscon SI Memphis SI Albany SI Colorado – In Memory of Bill Sweet
Skål USA Updates A Message from the VP of Administration
sponsorships/advertisements, and details for our website: www.skalusa.org and our newsletter: Skål USA Journeys. The funds generated through this initiative will be used to engage the membership to grow their Skål USA clubs/membership. In order to make this initiative a win-win situation, the committee went a step further and asked the Skål USA Executive Committee to approve the sharing of 25% of the advertisement revenue directly with the Skål USA clubs that are directly involved in securing the sponsorship/advertisement on the selective Skål USA tool(s). The Committee and the Skål USA EC looks forward to YOUR support of this mission!
Your Sincerely & Skål!
Dear Skålleagues,
Burcin Turkkan Vice President of Administration
As you know, in 2017 the Skål USA Executive Committee launched a new committee: The Sponsorship & Advertisement Committee. There are 11 very elite and hardworking Skål USA members on this committee with the mission of increasing exposure for the Skål USA brand by generating funds via sponsorship(s). This committee has discussed opportunities to utilize the tools Skål USA has to achieve this mission. At this time, the primary tools selected for promotion are the Skål USA website, Skål USA newsletter and the Skål USA mobile app. The goal is to generate income through promoting these tools in the industry. Serving this purpose the committee prepared a media kit that will go out to the industry. The committee also identified the target groups to which the media kit should be sent. It was determined that our first and most important resource is our own membership. Below you will find links to the media kit information for the Skål USA website and Skål USA newsletter. The media kit indicates information on 4
A Message from the Vice President of Membership
with their new members. We will cover membership benefits, how to use the websites and much more. If you have ideas of what you would like to see, please email your suggestions at toni@zoomaway.com. We just came back from our annual AGM in Toronto. It was a very successful meeting. Many of us came out
of that meeting, feeling very energized about Skål and the direction that we are taking. Dear Skålleagues, It is amazing that the first six months of this year has gone by so fast. We have accomplished a lot in the first six months but still have so much more to do. Your EC is working hard to make changes within our organization, changes that will be good for our continued success. Membership growth has to be the most important thing we need to focus on for the rest of the year. We are excited that we will be starting the first new Skål Club in the USA in the past 17 years, SI Richmond. SI Richmond will be up and running by the end of July. We are also working on new clubs for Phoenix, Savannah and Fresno. Over the past 6 months, I have spoken to many members of Skål USA and I have found that members are not aware of what the benefits of being a Skål member are. Most members do not know how or where to go to find the Skål International or Skål USA websites. In this newsletter, you will find two documents that will walk you through both websites. I hope that you will find these tools helpful. I have also found that not all of information that we send out ever gets down to the individual member. So we will be having a “New Member” webinar or podcast on a monthly basis. I would like to invite all clubs to participate
As we continue on over the next few months to continue to grow membership, we are here to help you. Please feel to contact me should you any questions or need any assistance. Skål!
Toni Koster VP of Membership 775-848-9666 toni@zoomaway.com Jim Dwyer Director of Membership 908-420-5921 Jdwyer1144@gmail.com Dave Ryan Director of Membership 916-752-0187 dryan@classicvacations.com
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Skålleagues Spotlight: Members of Distinction Tom White and Carlos Banks
By a vote of the 42 Skål Clubs in attendance at the Skål International--USA Annual General Meeting, held during the North American Skål Congress Toronto, Canada, Past Skål International--USA Presidents Tom White (2013) of SI Orlando and Carlos Banks (2014) of SI Fort Lauderdale were each awarded a "Member of Distinction" honor. The clubs confirmed the recommendation of these awards made by the Skål International--USA Executive Committee. 2017 Skål International--USA President Holly Powers of SI Boston and 2017 Skål International President David Fisher of SI Nairobi (Kenya) made the presentations to Tom and Carlos. Tom and Carlos were recognized for their contributions in the reorganization of Skål International--USA, its bylaws, and leadership restructuring. These awards are only presented when deemed appropriate and are generally not given every year.
Past Skål USA President Mr. Tom White, award presented by Skål USA President Powers and Skål International President Fisher.
Past Skål USA President Mr. Carlos Banks, award presented by Skål USA President Powers and Skål International President Fisher.
Tom White has an outstanding record of service to Skål, presently serving as Executive SecretaryTreasurer of SI Orlando, the second largest club in the United States. Tom has been a member of SI Orlando for twenty seven years, held all of the club offices, served as a regional vice president and vice president-administration nationally, and attended a dozen world congresses. Tom was a diligent advocate to streamline our national organization and give clubs a larger voice. Carlos Banks has had a career of leadership positions within both the airline and tour operator sectors of the travel industry. First serving airlines from Mexico, Indonesia, and Malaysia, Carlos is now working for Pleasant Holidays, a Florida based tour operator. Carlos has been a member of Skål Clubs in Kansas City, Detroit, Miami, and now Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beaches. He has served as a leader in each of these clubs, including President of SI Detroit and current Skål USA Representative for SI Fort Lauderdale. Carlos has attended eighteen world congresses and twenty-five North American congresses.
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New Skål USA Administrator Email Address Now that the SIUSA name has been formally changed to Skål USA, the email address for the Skål USA Administrator has been changed from siusa@buses.org to skålusa@buses.org. Please be sure to send all correspondence to this new address and add it to your trusted sender list to keep messages from ending up in your spam folder. All messages sent to siusa@buses.org will be forwarded to our new account for a period of time.
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Opportunities for Skål USA Clubs with PR Newswire At the beginning of 2016, the PR/Communications and Website Committee set a goal to promote the Skål USA brand in the USA to potential members by establishing a systematic and professional PR campaign using external channels at little or no cost, and to refine the current communication channels to increase membership satisfaction. The committee accomplished this goal with PR Newswire. PR Newswire offered Skål USA six free nationwide press releases per year in exchange for the addition of their Travel News Link to our website. There are links on Skål USA website for each release and they are also listed below. We received daily reports of our exposure and based on the reports, our exposure has increased steadily.
The news feed will feature current content which, combined with your original content, will provide reliable, interesting and useful information to your readers. Your site will be included in the network report, so clubs can see the sites that have published their news releases. These clients will, for the most part, be a VP, SVP, or EVP of PR or marketing at these companies, fairly difficult titles to reach and will raise the visibility of your club and our brand. You will receive a number of complimentary news releases nationwide in exchange for placing the PR Newswire link on your blog. You can use these releases at your discretion to promote your clubs.
We are very excited about this opportunity to allow our clubs to have free nationwide press releases and help them promote Skål events and promote your community service activities. The increased exposure of our Skål USA brand in nationwide media will increase brand awareness. Interested clubs should contact Jeanette Jirau at PR Newswire at Jeanette.Jirau@prnewswire.com to discuss this opportunity further. Please contact me at burcinturkkan@useh.org with any questions you may have.
The Skål USA PR/ Communication & Website Committee asked PR Newswire if this opportunity could be extended to Skål clubs in the USA that have an active website. PR Newswire will offer their news feed services to your club at no cost. The news feed will be customized to fit your audience and built to match your site's look and feel. In exchange for placing the PR Newswire feed on your site you will receive the following benefits at no cost:
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Skål USA Press Releases in 2016/2017 Click the links below to view the Skål USA press releases that have been issued so far: April 1, 2017 http://skalusa.org/skal/wpcontent/uploads/2017/04/Project-Time-Off-U.S.Travel-Association.pdf February 13, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newskal-international-usa-executive-committeeofficially-takes-office-defines-goals-at-2017-winterboard-meeting-in-orlando-300406656.html November 30, 2016 http://www.bizjournals.com/newyork/prnewswire/p ress_releases/Georgia/2016/11/30/DC54863?ana=pr news
September 29, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/skalinternational-usa-explores-strategic-alliances-withseveral-high-profile-washington-dc-based-nationaltravel-organizations-300336800.html September 20, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/skalinternational-usa-national-committee-meetingunites-industry-executives-and-future-leaders300331445.html August 15, 2016 http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2016/08/skal-andunwto-condemn-attacks/
June 2, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/skalinternational-usa-announces-officers300278929.html
Upcoming Skål Meeting and Event Information Skål USA National Committee Meeting – August 25th, 2017 On Friday, August 25th Skål USA will hold its National Committee Meeting. The meeting will take place in a webinar format. Instructions for registration will be sent to each club president by the Skål USA Administrator.
Skål Atlantic City’s 25th Anniversary Celebration On Thursday, October 26th Skål Atlantic City will hold its 25th Anniversary Celebration. Details will be available soon along with the availability of accommodations for the evening.
2017 Skål World Congress This year’s Skål World Congress will take place on October 5-9, 2017 in Hyderabad, India. Click here for more information and to register.
August 12, 2016 http://www.travelagentcentral.com/industry/skalinternational-usa-condemns-terrorism-57591 July 13, 2016 https://www.yahoo.com/news/skal-internationalusa-restructures-board-positions-90-percent170000195.html
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Past Skål Meetings & Events NASC Report—Skål USA Has Productive Meetings at North American Skål Congress
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Toronto--42 of 47 United State Skål Clubs attended the North American Skål Congress held June 15-18 in Toronto, Canada, where they gathered with Skålleagues from Mexico and Canada, the host country. Under the leadership of President Holly Powers of SI Boston and the national executive committee, the US Skål Clubs met in two meetings, namely an Annual General Meeting and a National Committee Meeting, which featured the following: •
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A membership report by Vice PresidentMembership Toni Koster including progress on new Skål Clubs in Richmond (Virginia), Savannah (Georgia), and Phoenix (Arizona). A report on advertising and sponsorship opportunities on social media by Vice President-Administration Burcin Turkkan. Approval of the final report on the FY 2016 budget and the proposed FY 2018 budget by Vice President-Finance Alton Hagen. A clean audit report by Auditors Anita Peck and Art Allis. A report on issues and industry relationships by Director of Public Relations and Communications Steve Richer.
In addition to the meetings, U. S. Skålleagues joined the rest of the attendees, including Skålleague NSN Mohan of World Congress host club SI Hyderabad, at the magnificent opening ceremonies, various topical presentations, a table top trade show, several lovely meal functions, the traditional, elegant closing banquet and dance, and. most of all, an exciting trip to one of the wonders of the world--Niagara Falls-and a divine banquet at the Peller Estates Winery. All in all, it was a successful time exhibiting the best of amicale!
Modification of the terms and length of eligible service for the Vice President-Finance and Vice President-Membership. Deletion of any non-attendance penalties for clubs of fifteen members or less.
Recognition of SI Arkansas as "US Skål Club of the Year". Distinguished leadership awards to Skål International--USA Past Presidents Tom White and Carlos Banks Remarks by Skål International President David Fisher and Skål International Vice President Raphael Millan.
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Skål Has Big Presence at IPW, America’s Largest Travel Show
SI Washington VP Andres Hayes, SI-USA President Holly Powers, and SI Washington Director Don Evans on the IPW trade floor show.
Prominent Skålleagues were highly visible, June 47, at IPW, the annual gathering of America's tourism industry with its top international suppliers at the 49th gathering of this important event. Over 6400 delegates participated. Among the Skålleagues with high visibility at IPW were Roger Dow, President of US Travel, which hosts the event; Chris Thompson, President of Brand USA, which markets the United States; Elliott Ferguson, President of Destination DC, who leads the tourism marketing efforts of the host city; and Holly Powers, President of Skål International--USA, who was a VIP Guest. Skål International President David Fisher was scheduled to attend, but had to cancel, due to a late travel complication.
Skålleagues Roger Dow, U S Travel Association President; Holly Powers, Skål International--USA President; and Steve Richer, Skål International--USA Director of Public Relations and Communications, on IPW trade show floor.
SI Washington organized a well-attended reception on Monday, June 5, which saw both international and US Skålleagues in attendance. The event was led by SI Washington President James Enright and organized by SI Washington IPW Chair Barry Biggar at Claudia's Steakhouse, a popular area restaurant. Both Dow and Thompson spoke at the event. There were banner exchanges, including one between Washington and Bucharest, Romania, represented by Skålleague George Nicolescu. A highlight of the evening was the presence of David Becker, Charter President of SI Richmond (Virginia), due to be the first new club in the United States in seventeen years later in 2017. Powers, accompanied by SI Washington Vice President Andres Hayes and Skål International-USA Director of Public Relations and Communications Steve Richer walked the aisles of the huge trade show for three days, encountering Skålleagues, prospective Skålleagues, and former Skålleagues. An effort to identify cities for new or reorganized clubs was a priority. The quality of the numerous discussions was significant and is giving Skål International--USA some great ideas for its national meeting next week at the North American Skål Congress in Toronto. As a result of this input, Powers plan to review current challenges facing Skål, such as an aging membership and limited membership diversity in struggling clubs; identify aspirational goals, such as relevance, member career growth, member business enhancement, and community service; and engaging the US attendees in identifying ways to address the challenges and aspirational goals. "IPW was a superb opportunity for Skål to connect with our constituency, learn how Skål is perceived, and gather ideas for positive growth. It was also helpful that Skål International--USA is on record to continue the good work of Brand USA, which gave us extra visibility at the show."
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Powers, SI Washington President James Enright, and George Nicolescu of SI Bucharest (Romania) exchange banners.
SI USA President Holly Powers with Julius Valino, COO Aarius Internationals, along with Olga and James Enright, President of SI D.C.
Brand USA President Chris Thompson of SI Washington addresses SkĂĽl reception.
SI Washington, D.C. Members: Roger Dow, President/CEO U.S. Travel Association; Barry Biggar, President/CEO Visit Fairfax, and Chris Thompson, President/CEO Brand USA. SI Washington table at IPW registration with Richer, Hayes, Powers, and SI Washington Treasurer Barry Biggar.
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Community Involvement
Skål USA Resource Center
Share your community involvement experience!
How to Find the Skål USA Website:
Please provide the name, dates, and a brief description of the events, causes, scholarships, services that you are involved in via email to Skålusa@buses.org.
How to find the Skål USA website:
On Behalf of Tourism Cares Dear Friends, Since 2003 Tourism Cares has united the industry to give back, and over these 15 years, the ways our community gives have evolved and strengthened thanks to you. In keeping with this evolution, we're updating our mission statement to reflect all that we do: We advance the travel industry's social impact to help people and places thrive. We’re so pleased to show you how in our 2016-2017 Community Report, with data and brief stories showing our collective impact, including some projects you might not know about. On behalf of the board and staff of Tourism Cares, thank you for being a valued supporter and participant in our community. Together, we’re strengthening our community that does good business together—and for others. With gratitude, Derek Hydon, Chairman Mike Rea, CEO and the Tourism Cares Board of Directors
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Go to Skålusa.org Click on the “Member Area” Your user name is: skalusa Enter your password – skalusa@123 If this does not work for you, please contact either Toni Koster at toni@zoomaway.com or Steve Richer, richeradvisors@gmail.com.
➢ Click on the member link on the navigation bar on top From there you can navigate around the site ➢ Club Locator – here is a contact list of all Club Presidents with their contact information. A map of the clubs is coming soon ➢ About Skål USA – here you will find the history of Skål, information on your Executive Committee and the Skål USA Administrators. You will also find Skål USA Honors and Skål USA Members who have national and international recognitions in the industry and information on the FVF Fund. ➢ Membership Benefits, Dues, Development Assistance – here you will find information on why to join Skål, what benefits there are for members, annual dues amount, membership video and membership development assistance ➢ Partnerships – here you will find the different memberships that we have nationwide. There is information on accepting credit cards, developing a website, travel insurance, job postings and travel trade shows
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➢ Events – here you will find different events happening around the country. You can post your events here by sending the information to richeradvisors@gmail.com. You can also download photos of your club’s events in this area. ➢ Skål Newsletters – here you will find the most recent newsletters and an archive of older newsletters. It is important that you read the newsletters; they give you an abundance of information. Please make sure that all members read these. ➢ Skål International Membership - this area takes you to the worldwide database of all members across the world. ➢ Member Area Login – this area is where you can also login. This area has all of Skål’s International and National legal documents, our official meetings, the club’s resources and our financials reports. ➢ Press Room – this area contains information on all of our press releases, promotional brochure, press kit and our positioning papers. ➢ Useful Links – here you will find links to club websites and social media links ➢ Skål USA Shop – you can purchase Skål merchandise in this area
How to Find the Skål International Website: How to find the Skål International website: ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢
Go to Skål.org Click on the “Member Area” Your user name is: Your last name Enter your password – Membership Number ➢ If this does not work for you, please contact either Toni Koster at toni@zoomaway.com (775) 848-9666 or Yvonne Mansell, Yvonne.mansell@Skål.org. ➢ Click on the member link on the navigation bar on top From there you can navigate around the site ➢ Membership Development – here you will find information on membership o Why Join Skål o Why I left Skål and Membership Perception Survey o Financial Assistance Application from the Membership Development Fund o Requirements to start a new club and more o Skål Projects/Public Relations/Skål Agreements with other organizations ➢ Skål Database – here you will find the complete database around the world. You can contact people all over the world. You can search by country, region and by clubs. This is very important to meet other Skålleagues when you travel or just want to reach out to other members. ➢ Young Skål – here you will find information about Young Skål. How to recruit Young 14
Skål, the YS application and Social Media Guidelines ➢ Benefits and Greeters – here you will find information on what benefits there are for members across the world. You can even list a benefit from your company if they want to offer a special rate to Skål Members. If you are travelling out in the world, clubs have greeters to help make your trip memorable. ➢ Twinning– here you will find information on how to twin your club with another club, domestically or internationally and how to do it. ➢ Florimond Volckaert Fund – here you will find information about this fund. This fund is available for members that are in need of financial assistance. The application form can be found here. ➢ Legal Documents – here you will find the legal documents for Skål International.
➢ Congress Information – this area is where you can find information on the World Congress and other congresses around the world ➢ International Skål Council Documents – this area contains information on all of the International Councils. Minutes on their meetings and more. ➢ Boutique – here you will find Skål merchandise to purchase ➢ Job Bank – here is where you can see if other clubs and members have jobs available and you can post jobs here too This website and Skålusa.org’s websites are your tools to have as a member. We all need to do a better job of keeping our member information current. Reach out to other clubs, see what they are doing to grow membership. We can all help one another. We are members of this outstanding organization and we need to let the world know that we are the trusted voice in tourism around the world.
➢ Forms - this area is extremely important. There are many forms for you here. This is where you will find a new member application for Active and Young Skål potential members. You will also find a Modification Form. This area is very important as this is where you need to keep your member information up-to-date. You can change your company name, email address, phone numbers and job title. It is imperative that you keep this current. There is also a deletion form to delete members. Fill these forms out and send them and a response will be returned to you that the changes were made.
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Share Club Event Information and Photos with Fellow Skålleagues! Skålleagues are encouraged to share photos from Skål USA and club events as well as information on upcoming meetings of clubs and the travel and tourism industry as a whole on the Skål USA Facebook page. The Facebook page is open to members and interested non-members alike. To view or share photos on our page: 1. Visit the Skål USA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SKALUS A/ (you may need to log in to Facebook and/or click “Join Group”) 2. Click the “Photos” tab near the top of the page, under the board photo. You will now see a compilation of photos sorted by the date posted. 3. Click the “Albums” tab below the “Photos” tab. You will now be able to view albums of photos that have been uploaded, sorted by the date posted. 4. From here, you can create a new album for a particular event by clicking “Create Album”, or add photos to an existing album by selecting that album and clicking “Add Photos” at the top.
In Case You Missed It: Skål USA Webinar: Club Presidents June 1, 2017
In Case You Missed It: Skål USA Webinar: Define, Distinguish, Position Yourself with All the Right Public Relations Tools April 15, 2016 Presented by SI Orlando's Kathy Hernandez, President of KHA PR, this Skål International United States of America webinar is intended to help equip you with the tools to help you get your message out better. View the Recording! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/60745 09646523263235 This session touches on a number of topics, such as: • • • • • •
Creating A Face For Your Company/Your Club Establishing Your Designated Press Contact Press Releases With Hot Topics Online Press Rooms That Generate Attention and Business Social Media – How Not To Be Afraid Of It Staying In Front Of The Media
Public relations can be an essential function that Skål USA clubs can harness to help you get new members. Click the link above and view the recording to discover new ways to connect to your members, the media, prospective members and other clubs!
Presented by SI Atlanta's Burcin Turkkan, Vice President of Administration, Skål USA. This webinar is intended to gain feedback from the Presidents regarding recent website updates, the membership incentive plan and a review of the SI Strategic Plan. View the Recording! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/1250 183587323225858
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In Case You Missed It: Skål USA Webinar: How to Develop Young Skål within Your Club
In Case You Missed It: Skål USA Webinar: Selling to Millennials June 30, 2015
November 17, 2015 Presented by Jennifer Ackerson, Nicholle Fearon, Alexandra Pick, and Cynthia Pisco from SI Long Island; Burcin Turkkan from SI Atlanta; and Adrius Valiulis from SI Toronto.
View the Recording! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7887 715368898646530 Finding ways to engage the younger generation is a challenge that nearly all organizations face. As you learned in a previous Skål USA webinar, millennials have different wants, needs, and desires, and organizations must adapt and be responsive in order to remain relevant in the future. Skål International has taken a terrific first step with the formation of Young Skål, but Skål clubs can certainly take it upon themselves to create initiatives that will further incorporate millennials into the membership. Several clubs in the US and Canada have set an excellent example with their efforts to get younger people engaged. Skål USA invited representatives from several clubs to participate in this webinar and share the keys to their success. Click the link above to view the recording and find out the keys to recruiting and empowering Young Skål members!
Presented by Charlie Funk, SI Nashville View the Recording! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/86977 12387380414978 As we continue to bring in the next generation of young professionals into the working ranks as well as the bulk of our customer base, we need to understand their motivation - needs and wants. This emerging group is very unique in their interests, communication methods and reference points. In order to better incorporate them into Skål as well as leverage their increasing buying power, we must first try to understand and relate to their lifestyles and career concepts as well as how to reach them and get them to engage.
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Got a Special Skål Occasion Coming Up? •
Installation Ceremony
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Formal Dinner
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Retirement Ceremony
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Monthly Skål Meeting
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Industry Event
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Need a Commemorative Note to Send
We’ve Got Your Bling! Email us with your order: skalusa@buses.org
Skål USA Club Event Round-Up To find out more about upcoming club events or to contact a club while you are traveling to their neck of the woods, check out our Skål USA “Club Locator” webpage, www.skalusa.org/skal-usa-club-locator/
SI Tampa Bay May Meeting
Young Skål Members on their quest to join our representative in Toronto this month for NASC. Our host venue, Bon Appetit Restaurant, was the perfect setting for a typical Florida evening on the waterfront. Great food and beverage, great fun and our goals were achieved.
Hello from Tampa Bay! Our May meeting was a special one as we held a silent auction of donated items from our club members for the purpose of financially supporting three 18
SI Puerto Rico Update June Cold Lobster Terrine Sous-vide with a champagne and fennel fusion, organic avocado and tomatillo vichyssoise… and that was just the opening course of our June Skål Puerto Rico dinner meeting at L’Olivo. I’ll spare you the details of the Merluza fish course (two crusts, tomato concasse and tapenade) or the Short Ribs (marinated in rum caña) that Chef Carlos Sánchez prepared. If you were there, you know all about it and if you weren’t…well, what can I say. I can say that the combined flavors of L’Olivo’s signature dessert (Cornbread, tomato marmalade, tapenade and Machego ice cream) woke me up—even after an evening of generous servings of sparkling, red and white wine! Skål Puerto Rico President Ivan Puig had the members share a little about their businesses (after all, we enjoy doing business among friends) and introduced their guests. He brought the group up to date on the club’s current projects (see below), we toasted, feasted and thoroughly enjoyed Skål amicale. We are on recess in July, but will be back in August with another memorable dinner meeting. Watch our website www.Skålpuertorico.com for details and for more photos of the June event.
President Iván Puig leads the Skål toast.
Past President Maritza Toste introduces her guests as Secretary Irene Castillo and Treasurer Joanne Ferguson look on.
Skål Puerto Rico Responds Skål International President David Fisher asked clubs to aid the victims of the tragic wildfires that have ravaged the Garden Route area of South Africa. “The area has been devastated by fires and severe storms and some Skålleagues have lost everything they own, including their businesses. As we did for the Tsunami in 2004 and Typhoon Yolanda which hit the Philippines shortly afterwards I am appealing to your generous nature in this time of need of our South African Skålleagues,” President Fisher wrote. The Skål Puerto Rico Board voted to make a donation in the name of the club.
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An account has been opened at the Skål International bank in Torremolinos for any donation that you or your Club can make to assist your fellow Skålleagues to overcome this tragedy. The details of the account are as follows: Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) Plaza Costa del Sol 9 29620 Torremolinos, Spain IBAN Account No: 6320 1280 0435
ES71 0182 0481
Swift Address:
BBVAESMM
category and was awarded a Gold Medal. The Puerto Rico team won a total of 8 medals in the annual event, including Silver as the Best Culinary Team in the Caribbean. Through our Hospitality Student Fund, Skål Puerto Rico makes it possible for qualified students and young professionals to attend meetings, participate in competitions and enroll in seminars and other non-academic learning experiences they could otherwise not afford. The funds are raised through special activities open to PRHTA members, Meet Puerto Rico and other industry colleagues.
Skål Puerto Rico Sponsors Student at Taste of the Caribbean
Venice Skålleague Armando Ballari during a personal tour of his hometown
Gold Medal winner Efraín Márquez proudly wears the Skål logo
The Puerto Rico National Culinary Team, sponsored by the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association, competed recently in "Taste of the Caribbean" along with 13 teams from other Caribbean islands. This year’s event was held at Hotel Hyatt Downtown, Miami, Florida. Skål Puerto Rico cooperated by funding the participation of Efraín Márquez, who competed in the Junior Chef
Puerto Rico Skål past president and current board member Ronald Flores and his wife Olga happily joined North New Jersey Skål members during their recent Friendship Trip beginning in Venice, Italy, with stops in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. The group dined with different Skål clubs, cruised the Adriatic on the Katarina Line’s Majestic, learned about major towns and sites with the help of private guides—including Armando Ballari of the Venice Skål Club—tasted local foods and wines, and generally had a wonderful time.
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SI Northern New Jersey Friendship Trip Meeting Skålleagues from other states and countries is always fun and exciting. The members of Skål Northern New Jersey took this concept to another level 14 years ago. Starting in 2004 with a visit to Skål North Holland we've been traveling to Europe every year to visit other Skål clubs. Some years it might be just one club. This year in April we visited 4! Due to a serendipitous meeting last year between Skål NNJ President, Tim O'Neill and Skål Croatia President, Katarina Hauptfeld, the club embarked on a 10 day trip to Venice and to the beautiful cities and islands of Croatia. There were 36 participants representing 5 Skål clubs including the host club Northern New Jersey, Skål New York, Skål Myrtle Beach, Skål Atlanta and Skål Puerto Rico. The romantic city of Venice was the first stop. Skål Italia President Armando Ballarin took our group on a wonderful walking tour of the city meandering through side streets and over canals. Among the highlights were the Scuolo San Rocco where the great renaissance artist Tintoretto painted some of his original works. As the group gaped at the marvelous art Armando mentioned that their club meets there for its monthly meetings. More mouths opened!!! The second highlight were the 360 degree views from the top of the T Fondaco dei Tedeschii, Venice's first luxury shopping complex.
After the short stay in Venice the group boarded a coach and after a short but welcomed lunch in Ljubljana, Slovenia the group arrived in Opatija where they were greeted by the aforementioned Katarina, the owner of Katarina Lines, and Irena Persic, President of Skål Kvarner. After a dinner at the Opatija Yacht club and a party that lasted through the night the group got a “good night’s sleep and prepared to sail. The ship, MS Majestic, has 19 well-appointed staterooms and a crew who were friendly, professional and hardworking!!
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waterfalls as we wound our way up and down this natural beauty.
We began our day on the nearby island of Krk with a reception at Hotel Marina and, later continued to Rab which included visits to beautiful churches, fortresses and shops. The afternoon was capped by a demonstration and tasting of Rab cake. Many purchases were made and some cake even made it home! Day 3 brought us to the town of Zadar (N.B. Croatians pronounce words with emphasis on the first syllable). Here we experienced a brilliant work of art called the Sea Organ, created by artist Nikola Basic. Waves rush into manmade valves carved in the breakfront to produce haunting melodies.
Nearby is the solar paneled Greeting to the Sun, a light spectacular to complement the Sea Organ. Heading southward sometimes via coach due to inclement weather we visited local the towns of Nin and Sibenik and a tasty visit to Bibich Winery, where we were treated to some delicious local wine and snacks. Another highlight of the trip was a short stop at Krka National Park. Amid the flora and fauna were fantastic views of
Although they couldn’t meet with us the Skål Club of Split arranged a wonderfully interesting day for us in this exciting and ancient city. The afternoon was filled with a guided tour of the harbor area including a journey into ancient Rome where we saw what Emperor Diocletian called his home away from Rome! Built in the early 4th century the massive palace/fortress covers over half of downtown Split. This city within a city is a Unesco site and a must see! The day was capped off with musical evening at Varos Restaurant where we were serenaded by a quartet with impeccable harmonies. Although some of our group had to return to the U.S. most stayed and journeyed south through Bosnia (very long border crossing) to the medieval fortress town of Dubrovnik (remember to accent the first syllable). The Skål Club of Dubrovnik met us at our hotel, Hotel Lapad, and treated us to a wonderful reception and even more wonderful networking experience which couldn’t have been better. The next morning we headed out to the Montenegro town of Kotor. Although Kotor is a stop for many major cruise lines most of our group knew very little about it. After a short boat ride to the island of Our Lady of the Rocks we reached Kotor which is steeped in culture, architecture and lovely sea views. We had a leisurely lunch and a guided tour of the old town before returning to Dubrovnik. 22
SI Philadelphia Hosts Fulbright Students
A true Adriatic gem, Dubrovnik has been delighting visitors for centuries. Although heavily bombarded and destroyed during the turbulent 90s it has been rebuilt and restored to its true glory. You may have seen photos but nothing does it justice unless you visit. A stone fortress like wall surrounds the entire old town. At every turn is a charming square with charming restaurants! Cobblestones everywhere! And like the other Croatian towns the U.S. dollar goes a long way. We would look at the local Kuna price and divide by 7 something and smile. The shops, cafes, bars were all filled with friendly smiling faces. In a time when folks here and abroad are thinking twice about traveling Croatia is a friendly and safe port in the storm. Besides its sheer beauty and varied landscapes the country and its people stand out for their friendliness and joie de vivre. After suffering through over a decade of war and misery they have rebounded and want everyone to see their amazing, timeless and enduring country. And we should! *** Author’s note – On our last afternoon in Dubrovnik while finishing lunch a pigeon landed on my head. Is that the Croatian equivalent of throwing a coin in Trevi Fountain? Will I return?
On Friday, May 5, 2017 Skål Philadelphia acted as Citizen Diplomats and hosted 4 Fulbright students at Davio’s Italian Restaurant. The Institute of International Education partnered with Citizen Diplomacy International to activate a network of volunteers and provide dinner hospitality for the Fulbright students who were in Philadelphia for a weekend seminar. The Fulbright Program is an educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Skål Philadelphia President, Karen Adams said, “Siobhan Lyons, President and CEO of Citizens Diplomacy International (CDI) is a new member of Skål and we thought this was the perfect opportunity to work together”. Citizens Diplomacy is the idea that individuals can help shape U.S. foreign relations, “one handshake at a time”. CDI promotes Philadelphia’s economy and historic contributions to the world. They work to make contacts for business, make friends with the world’s new leaders and prevent future wars by putting guests from abroad “face to face” with Americans.
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SI Pittsburgh Dinner “Thank you Barbara McMahon”
President Adams said, “The dinner conversation was light, entertaining and engaging”. Joining Karen Adams was Deborah Magaldi, SIUSA Rep; Martin McDonough, Membership Chair and Ellen Coleman, member. The Fulbright students were from Canada, New Zealand, Finland and Pakistan. During the dinner email addresses were exchanged hoping to continue a relationship with the young students.
The Allegheny County Airport Authority Vice President of Government and Community Affairs, Vince Gastgeb, delivers the State of the Airport to Skål Pittsburgh on Tuesday, May 21st at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport. Over the past two years, Pittsburgh International Airport has gained momentum, really turning the corner, and leaving behind the declines of the past to become a thriving O&D facility that reflects our revitalized region. The Airport Authority is creating “Pittsburgh’s airport”, which mirrors and inspires regional growth and prosperity. Pittsburgh’s economy, new business opportunities, technology, research and development and new ideas are being recognized globally.
Skål Philadelphia President Adams is looking forward to making this an annual event.
SI Charlotte Membership Development
Jim Dwyer and Raffaele Beltram
Check out all the photos here. Skål Charlotte membership development group meeting.
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SI Atlanta hosts New Members’ Reception President Lorene Sartan welcomed members and guests to the SKÅL Atlanta New Members’ Reception and conducted the SKÅL Toast. All guests were introduced, and the program was turned over to Burcin Turkkan, our Atlanta Membership Development Chair. Burcin presented slides about SKÅL and reviewed the SI video and talked about SKÅL’s value to prospective new members. Harry Huff, our Atlanta SI representative, presented the programs and initiatives that the Atlanta SKÅL Club is involved with. We then answered questions from the audience about SKÅL. We also had a guest speaker, Mr. Michael Veniezio Keynote Speaker: Mr. Michael Venezia, Director of Education at United Distributors – He has great connections with the Braves, Sun Trust, and the Falcons. He will speak on impact of the Falcon’s wins on Atlanta and the tourist dollars; impact of the Sun Trust Park and his affiliation with the Braves, what United does and how these mega events impact sales; the multiplier effect on the city and of those dollars pumped through the Hospitality Industry. There were 41 people in attendance, and President Sartan reported they accepted applications for four new active members with two more potential members to follow-up.
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SI Atlanta partners with Kennesaw State University to organize their Young Skål Club SKÅL Atlanta has partnered with Kennesaw State University to organize the first Young Skål Club supported and officially installed and certified in a major University worldwide. Skål Atlanta is very proud of our Young Skål Members. Many Thanks to Troy Lambert-Zaffino, YS President, Ralph Winter, Skål Atlanta YS Chairperson, Harry Huff, Skål USA Representative and many others for helping with our YS initiatives.
The initial meeting was held at KSU on April 19th, 2017 with Diana S. Barber, J.D. CHE, Assistant Professor of Hospitality Law and Liability, in attendance along with 6 new YS Members to be inducted. Each month an Active SKÅL ATL Member will be invited as Guest Speaker to help mentor and grow the local Chapter at KSU.
SI Pittsburgh 14th Annual Skål Scholarship Ceremony
Four deserving students were recognized Tuesday, April 18 at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh. The hotel recently celebrated their two-year anniversary this past January. “These past two years have flown by, but we’ve loved every minute of it.” – Christina Paonessa, Area PR Coordinator SKÅL International Pittsburgh is the local chapter of SKÅL, an international organization that brings together all sectors of the travel and tourism industry. The club was founded on the premise of “professionals in travel and tourism working closely together in a spirit of friendship”. We also had two KSU Students as recipients of our annual Scholarship Program for students in a Travel & Tourism Program.
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SI Miami May Networking Dinner at Santorini Restaurant at the Bentley Hilton in Miami
This event has become the signature event for SI New Orleans to not only reinforce relevance in the local hospitality community but to generate member prospects. It is expected that the event will bring at least 10 new members to the club.
Left to right: Marie Finamore, Elizabeth Finamore (All board Florida/Bright Line Director of Finance), Jerry Max Theophile President of SKÅL MIAMI, Guest, Larry Van Dusseldorp, Suki Alipour, Barry Alipour.
SI New Orleans Hosts 3rd Annual Industry Update
Stephon Watson, Executive Vice President & COO, National WWII Museum.
Among the highlights of the presentations were a preview of the marketing campaign for the New Orleans Tercentennial celebration for 2018, development plans for the Convention Center, the city’s new Airport terminal and the WWII Museum, as well as an update on the New Orleans cruise industry and its impact on the local economy.
National WWII Museum, Freedom Pavilion
New Orleans – Over 170 hospitality industry professionals attended the Skål International New Orleans 2nd Annual Industry Update. The Update featured Ted Talk like presentations by top executives from the National WWII Museum, the Port of New Orleans, the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, the Convention Center and the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
All sectors of the hospitality industry were represented, many reserving company and/or organization tables. The event was in keeping with Skål International New Orleans adopted mission of being a forum of choice for select industry executives, across visitor industry segments, to build relationships, share in conviviality and interact with peers.
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SI Northern New Jersey’s 40th Anniversary Dinner
enjoyed the night so much they're planning to join Skål. Skålleagues being Skålleagues is always a good thing.
SI New York Event at Luna Park in Coney Island SI New York held a delightful meeting at Luna Park on the Boardwalk at Coney Island, one of America's traditional beach and amusement park venues. Its first amusement park opened in 1895.
Tim O'Neill (seated left) President Skål Northern New Jersey, Jim Dwyer (seated right) Skål USA Dir. of Membership, and standing Keith Hyatt, President Skål New York.
Forty years ago several members of Skål New York split off. mostly because of time and distance, and decided to form a club in Northern New Jersey.
The club enjoyed hot dogs, hamburgers, and other Boardwalk fare, had an exquisite outdoor Skal Toast, had unlimited rides at Luna Park, and was given a tour of Coney Island attractions. Guests from other clubs, including Skal International--USA Director of Public Relations and Communications Steve Richer from SI Washington, made the event into one of friendship between Skalleagues.
On Thursday, June 8, the club celebrated its anniversary at The United States Equestrian Team Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ. The venue, situated on acres of beautiful real estate in North Central New Jersey is historic and intimate at the same time. Due to the efforts of member Phyllis Blythe and her daughter, Kendall, the evening was truly magical. Current President, Tim O'Neill, thanked everyone and recognized several members including one of those founding members, Bruno Castellano, who is still a member of the club. Many of the members have been with the club 10, 20 and even 40 years.
Skålleagues gather at Luna Park, Coney Island, for a special SI New York event.
The group was joined by Larry Hemberger from Skål NEPA and Keith Hyatt from Skål New York. A few of the invited guests 28
SI New York President Keith Hyatt does the Cyclone at Coney Island as a part of his Skal encounter!
Richer poses with Brooklyn Dodger icons Captain Pee Wee Reese (l) and Jackie Robinson (r) at the moment Reese embraced Robinson against a hostile crowd booing the integration of baseball. That one historic gesture by Reese made it clear that professional baseball would peacefully be integrated.
Thunderbolt is one of the iconic Coney Island rides.
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SI Ft Lauderdale Celebrates 40th Anniversary We celebrated our club’s 40th Anniversary this month. The Anniversary Party started with a reception on the outside deck overlooking the city of Ft Lauderdale then we moved inside to enjoy an outstanding dinner. The evening was a fun and memorable one. We were proud to have Holly Powers President of Skål USA with us and Holly assisted in pinning and welcoming six new members into our club as well as honoring two of our members for their long-standing service in Skål.
We were proud to receive proclamations from both the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and Discover the Palm Beaches honoring our club’s years of contributions to the Hospitality, Travel & Tourism Industry within our community and around the world as well as our charity work.
New members – left to right – Lynda Reich, Shelly Pappas, Gail Gregory, Club President Ian Black, Melissa Nessenson, Sharon Malone, Skål USA President Holly Powers, Carol Tracz
Andrew Doctor receiving his 35 Year certificate – Dick Stafford, Holly Powers, Andrew Doctor, Ian Black
The large crowd enjoyed watching the 40th Anniversary PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the club’s accomplishments over the years featuring a variety of events and celebrated individually all 28 of our Past Presidents. We look forward to what comes next!!
Cindy Christen receiving her 15 Year certificate – Dick Stafford, Holly Powers, Cindy Christen, Ian Black
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Upcoming Issues of Skål USA Journeys September 2017 Materials due August 22nd
Teresa Nix showing our 40th Anniversary PowerPoint Presentation.
Are You Following Skål USA Online?
Proclamation Ian Black receiving from Jorge Pesquera, President and CEO Discover the Palm Beaches
• Join the Conversation!
• Share Your Club Stories!
www.skalusa.org
• Promote Your Meetings! Proclamation Ian Black receiving from Christine Roberts VP, Convention & Group Sales Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
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Skål USA Shirts
Skål USA Shop
Visit us online at www.skalusa.org/skalusa-shop/ for all of your Skål jewelry and pin needs. Skål Member Ribbons. Stand out from the crowd! Maximum 50 ribbons per order.
Skål USA shirts with the official Skål logo are available from Land’s End. To place an order, visit the Skål USA Shop at www.skalusa.org/skal-usa-shop/ and click the “Shirts” tab. On this page you will find a link with step-by-step ordering instructions as well as the link that will take you to the Land’s End site to make a purchase. If you have problems ordering, please contact Matt Manousoff, Skål USA Administrator at 202898-4690 or skalusa@buses.org.
Submit your order online or via email to skalusa@buses.org
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Skål Member at a Glance Check out our featured Members in Skål Member at a Glance. Ms. Cheraz Ecker Cheraz Ecker joined Atlantis Casino Resort Spa as General Manager in 2015 and was recently awarded the Nevada Hotel Lodging Association’s Hotelier of the Year Award. Ms. Ecker began her career in Las Vegas working in several hotel operational positions with Mirage Resorts - Golden Nugget. In 1999, Ms. Ecker joined Las Vegas Sands and during her 12 years with the organization, she was promoted numerous times to oversee hotel openings, departments, and direct hotel divisions with the oversight of 7,000 suites.
Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in Washington, DC. During the Marriott acquisition of Gaylord Hotels, Ms. Ecker led efforts to successfully merge all Gaylord properties with Marriott. Most recently, Ms. Ecker was the General Manager for Loews Hotels and managed a newly acquisitioned property - The Madison Hotel, a historic luxury property located near the White House in the heart of Washington D.C. As member of the Nevada Hotel Lodging Association Board of Directors and chair of the Government Relations Committee, Ms. Ecker sees the abundant value in networking within the industry. She’s been an active member of SKÅL International in Singapore, Washington D.C. and Reno, Nevada and cherishes the relationships and network she’s built with like-minded leaders in the industry. As a member of Skål USA, Ms. Ecker feels Skål has been a fantastic bridge to creating new friendships in the local, national and international communities and hopes to see the organization continue to grow with talented Skålleagues!
Ms. Ecker was instrumental in the unprecedented capture of the Forbes FourStar/AAA Five-Diamond awards for The Venetian, Venezia and The Palazzo Hotel Resort Casinos. In 2009, Ms. Ecker accepted the position of General Manager to open another LVS mega-resort in Asia, Marina Bay Sands - Singapore. After a few years abroad and the successful opening of Marina Bay Sands, Ms. Ecker was recruited to turnaround operations and increase profits for 33