Chapter Chats

OSSN Memphis Chapter

Patricia Bannister, the director of the OSSN Memphis Chapter and the owner of Bannister Travel, sends us this photo taken at the chapter's May meeting. Pictured (l to r) are Kim Elder (TRAMS), Saralynn Turner (Easy Divers and an OSSN member!), and Debi Pearsall (TravelBound). Patricia also added this note:

"Education is the key to success in everything that we do in our lives. First, our parents are sending us to school and then to college knowing that without an education, we aren't going to be able to get far in this world. It is the same in the business world. We must continually educate ourselves in what is happening in our industry, or we will fall behind and get lost.

"OSSN helps so many home-based agents and agencies with necessary education through their local chapter meetings, and I would like to tell you about one of those agents in the Memphis Chapter.

"Saralynn Turner is not your ordinary travel agent. She is not content to sit at her desk and wait on the phone to ring. She is constantly looking for ways to help her agency grow.

"Saralynn Turner is an experienced diver as well as a travel agent, and it turns out that she is also a tour operator as she puts together dive packages and is also the one who takes the groups on their diving adventures. Also, if she sells a site wedding, she becomes the wedding coordinator, going with the bridal party to the wedding site to be sure that everything runs smoothly. Her clients love her.

"Saralynn Turner was an experienced travel agent who sold mostly dive trips. She had a thriving business already, but she was searching for a way to grow her business even more. She wanted to branch out to other areas of the industry, but wasn't sure how.

"One night in Memphis, she went to a trade show where she met Penney Rudicil, the OSSN Eastern Regional Manager, and me at the OSSN booth. That meeting changed not only Saralynn, but her agency as well. That chance meeting was what she was looking for to help her business to thrive.

Saralynn came to a few meetings of OSSN and then joined OSSN. She is now a regular attendee at the OSSN meetings held in Memphis. At these meetings, she has met a variety of suppliers such as Carnival Cruise Lines, NCL, Collette Vacations, and Sandals. She has been exposed to Barbados, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica through the meetings also. She has learned about VAX Vacation Access, Jurni Network, and now TRAMS and TravelBound.

"Through her meetings with her local OSSN chapter, Saralynn has gained the knowledge that she was looking for to push her agency to the next level. She has learned so much from both the vendors and the local chapter members. The local chapter has also learned a lot from Saralynn. Saralynn is now selling more travel than she did a year ago, and she is appreciative to OSSN and her local chapter director for helping her to grow her agency.

"As her director, I am so glad that OSSN is helping to educate all of our Memphis members, and helping them to grow in their knowledge of the industry, thereby growing their agencies. OSSN is not only helping local home-based agents to become better at what they do, but all across the country, local OSSN Directors are making a difference in the industry as a whole. OSSN is helping the industry to see that home-based agents are serious about selling travel, and that they want to do their job well.

"OSSN is the home-based agent's link to vendors, office software, databases, etc. Personally, my business would not be where it is without the knowledge that I have gained through OSSN. The local chapter in Memphis feels the same way.

"Thanks, OSSN, for giving home-based agents and agencies like Saralynn and myself the tools that we need to grow our businesses. We appreciate it and you very much."

Summit Hawaii 2006

Jeff Grieder, the director of the OSSN Houston Chapter, shares this picture from the OSSN fam cruise aboard the Celebrity ship "Summit." Here's his note about the photo:

"I hope that everyone had a safe trip back home from the cruise. Again, it was my absolute pleasure to be your Seminar at Sea Instructor for this exciting FAM. I enjoyed meeting each and every one of you. I hope that you learned a lot from this experience as I know I learned a lot from you as well. I hope to see you at a future OSSN Event."

(In his own chapter, Jeff held an excellent meeting on May 18 with 16 agents in attendance to hear Rhonda Richardson, the business development manager for the Globus family of tour brands. One agent joined OSSN at this meeting as an Agency member! Rhonda shared two great DVDs and one excellent PowerPoint presentation on Globus, and she offered fun door prizes along with plenty of brochures and DVDs for Avalon Waterways!

Daytona

Myrtis Rimassa, the director of the OSSN Daytona Beach Chapter, held a meeting on May 10 featuring a presentation by Peter Worthing of Collette Vacations. In this photo, Peter shares his knowledge about Collette's programs with (l to r, facing camera) Barbara Medvetz, Rosemary Catanesi, Herb Barth, and Evelyn Barth, as well as (backs to camera) Myrtis Rimassa, Meg Schaller, Dave Schaller, Angie Lanktree, and Lee Ayers.

Boulder

Robin Paschall, the director of the OSSN Boulder Chapter, reports that her group held a very educational meeting on May 11 with Jill Nickels of Collette Vacations. The Boulder OSSN agents are very dedicated to their chapter, and they meet regularly throughout the year.

Hawaii

Marie Thom, the director of the OSSN Hawaii Chapter, shares this wonderful photo of her new daughter Athena! She says Athena (who's about six months old now) is doing very well, and she hopes to see her fellow OSSN directors and agents at the Home Based Agent Show in San Jose in October if everything works out.

OSSN Directors Meeting/Freedom

More than 300 OSSN agents from all corners of North America descended upon the new Royal Caribbean ship "Freedom of the Seas" in May for an inaugural cruise! We're glad that so many OSSN members had the chance to meet each other and network while they explored what's now the largest cruise ship on the seas.

OSSN's chapter directors also held an official meeting before the cruise left port.

Anita Balamane (OSSN's Western Regional Manager) enjoys ice cream in one of
the Promenade shops in the center of the "Freedom of the Seas."

Your fearless clients can try one of three different skill levels on the rock wall aboard the ship.

If you've ever wanted to surf (but didn't know how to start!),
they'll teach you on the new "Freedom of the Seas."

These ice skaters strut their stuff on the ship's indoor ice rink.

One OSSN member had a great time outside the Pharaoh Lounge with her host.

Everyone in this OSSN group sang "Happy Birthday" to Patricia Bannister
(the director of OSSN's chapter in Memphis), since the day before had been her birthday.

Along with the fun on board this new ship, OSSN's dedicated chapter directors and
national leaders also spent some time on business.