Board of Directors

The National Board of Directors of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) is composed of outstanding members of Canada’s travel industry. They make up one of the most knowledgeable boards in Canada and each member has enviable experience in guiding their companies through years in this dynamic economic sector and beyond.

Not only does the board have a core of veterans, it has added members in the past several years from the top levels of the industry and its agency segment. The makeup of the national board is one of the key reasons why travel agency heads across the country should join ACTA and support the work inspired and directed by these stellar board members.

Board members in many cases serve as Chairs of ACTA Regional Councils in their regions which are: B.C. and Yukon, Alberta and NWT, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic. ACTA members can run for places on regional councils each year.

Ellen Tucker CTM, Chair
Ellen is President of Freedom Tours & Travel in Atlantic Canada, and has a background in travel spanning more than 30 years. She has hosted her own television program, All About Travel, and personally directs and escorts tours and cruises throughout the world. Today, she contributes her travel expertise on CBC RADIO ONE on the program "Shift". Ellen has owned and operated Freedom Tours & Travel in Saint John, New Brunswick since 1998. Ellen has served as Secretary Treasurer of ACTA since 2009. Contact Ellen

Robert Durant, BC & Yukon Region, Vice-Chair
Robert "Rob" Durant is President and Owner of WD World Travel Ltd. and, apart from being an ACTA board member, is Chairman International at ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents). Rob created WD World Travel in 1992. In 2003, Rob created Canadatravels.com. In 2008, WD World became the first international travel agency to join ASTA’s Premium Membership. Rob was also instrumental in establishing the Canadian division of ASTA's Young Professionals Society. Rob lives in Vancouver and prides himself at being ‘always available’ for last minute emergencies experienced by top executives booking through his company. Contact Robert

David McCaig, President and COO, ACTA
David McCaig has been in the Travel Industry since 1983 with Retail, Wholesale and In-bound Tour Operator ownership experience. In 1995, he became the Canadian Sales Manager for the travel consortiums of Travel Trust International (TTI) and TravelPlus. In this capacity he was responsible to discuss all aspects of the daily operations of Canadian Retail Travel Agencies with well over 1,800 Owners and Managers.

Prior to joining ACTA in 2001, Mr. McCaig had the opportunity to work for two years with the B.C. Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Government of BC as the General Manager of Destinations-Vancouver. As Vice President of Corporate Affairs and General Manager of Western Canada for ACTA, his responsibilities involve him in all aspects of travel agency relationships, agency to consumer relations, consumer complaints, product supplier rules & regulations and programs for travel agencies.
 
Mr. McCaig serves on the board of the Travel Industry Advisory Group (TIAG).In this role, he is responsible for identifying potential solutions for travel industry related issues in B.C. Mr. McCaig continues to enhance his knowledge of the travel industry by participating in and on occasion being a keynote speaker at several Canadian and International Travel Industry Conferences, relating to good business practises and consumer protection.

Douglas Boyd, Alberta & NWT Regions
In 2006, Doug joined the Albert Motor Association as Regional Manager for Travel Services based out of Calgary.  Doug and his family have always had a love of travel and have travelled extensively throughout the world.  He has been an ACTA board member in Alberta for two years and is a member of SKAAL International. Doug is looking forward to serving as Board Chair for Alberta and increasing the Exposure of ACTA within the Travel community in Alberta. Contact Douglas

 Andrew Enns, Treasurer
Senior Vice President of NRG Research Group in Winnipeg and is one of Canada’s leading market and public affairs researchers and focus group moderators. Before entering market research, Andrew spent more than 10 years working in senior political and public sector roles in Ottawa, Toronto and Winnipeg. Today, Andrew directs projects for clients and works with teens, First Nations and ethnic communities, leading the moderating team delivering the Standing Offer research requirements for the Federal Government. Andrew is also Senior Research Consultant at Western Opinion Research. Contact Andrew

Mike Foster, Ontario Regions
Mike Foster opened London, Ontario-based UNIGLOBE Instant Travel Inc. in 1982 and has expanded UNIGLOBE into one of the world’s largest travel agency companies with more than 750 locations in more than than 20 countries. The company specializes in travel agency services to small to mid-sized corporate clients and leisure passengers with annual system-wide sales volume of C$2.7 billion. Mike has served in a variety of roles for both the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) and the Travel Industry Council of Ontario. A resident of London, Mike has been an active volunteer with many local organizations. Contact Mike

W Edward Bennington, CITC Representitive
Ed is Manager, Rewards at LoyaltyOne, the company that operates the AIR MILES® Reward Program.  Since joining LoyaltyOne in February 1992, he was involved in opening the AIR MILES Customer Care Centre in Toronto and was instrumental in implementing the first Turbo Sabre application in Canada.  In 2002, Ed was presented with the Chairman’s Excellence Award from Alliance Data (the parent company of LoyaltyOne).  In 2011, he was a recipient of the President’s Circle Award at LoyaltyOne.

In addition to his work at LoyaltyOne, Ed is also a part-time Professor at Seneca College (Markham Campus), Faculty of International Studies, School of Tourism.  His teaching experience provides him with direct contact with the future workers of the travel industry and first-hand knowledge of their dreams and expectations of a career in travel.

A true patriot of volunteerism, Ed has given freely  of his time to many travel industry committees including those relevant to CITC regarding, certification and occupational standards.  He was honored at the CITC Annual General Meeting in April, 2006 as the Ontario Regional Council Volunteer of the Year.  Ed is the Chair of CITC’s National Board as well as Chair of CITC’s Ontario Regional Council.
Contact W Edward Bennington.

Mary Jane Hiebert, Manitoba & Nunavut Regions, Secretary
Mary Jane Hiebert is Chair and General Manager of Holiday Travel Ltd. in Steinbach, Manitoba, and formerly owner and manager of Harvest Travel Ltd. Mary Jane is a European specialist. She is also a trained classical singer. Holiday Travel specializes in international travel arrangements and has been in business for more than 30 years. Holiday Travel was formed in 2009 when Mary Jane of Harvest Travel and Sue Nikkel of Holiday Travel merged their agencies to establish the largest travel agency in southeast Manitoba. Contact Mary Jane

Sharon Kaendo, Saskatchewan Region
Sharon Kaendo opened Leisure Travel 2000 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1998 after a number of years in the travel industry. She and her husband Friets often host cruises and Sharon is a Certified Adventure Travel and Sandals Resorts Specialist. Sharon is involved in various aspects of the travel industry including serving on the Advisory Council for Vacation.com Western Canada, Saskatchewan Council Chair for ACTA, and the National Board of Directors for ACTA. Leisure Travel 2000 is a member of Vacation.com and offers a full range of travel services. Contact Sharon

Marilyn Long CTM, Atlantic Regions
Marilyn began her travel career over 30 years ago. In 1993, Marilyn left the travel industry to work with Revenue Canada for 8 years and then returned as Travel Centre Manager of CAA Atlantic in the Charlottetown, PEI. Marilyn has served on the Atlantic CITC Board of Directors as well as a ACTA Atlantic. In 1985, Marilyn received her CTC designation followed by her CTM designation in 2006.  She was a co-recipient of The MACGUIRE WAMSLEY AWARD for achieving the highest mark on the Certification Program work paper.  Marilyn resides in Charlottetown with her husband, Alan and has 4 grown children and 2 American Cocker Spaniels. Contact Marilyn

Lindsay Pearlman, Director 
Lindsay Pearlman was appointed Co-President for Ensemble Travel Group in Jan 2011. Prior to joining Ensemble in 2007, Pearlman served at General Electric in Toronto and Calgary, then at American Express Canada before assuming the position of director and general manager of its Travel Service Network. Ensemble Travel Group is an international organization of 900 professional travel agencies handling billions of dollars in travel transaction each year in the U.S. and Canada. Contact Lindsay

Arend Roos, CCTA Representative
Arend Roos’ long career in the travel industry commenced in October of 1973 when he joined Maple Leaf Travel/Irish Canadian Social and Athletic Club as an affinity charter agent. With the advent of the Advance Booking Charter on January 1, 1974, the Brampton Office was purchased March 1, 1974 to become Roos Travel Agency.

In 1976 Roos Travel Agency purchased another travel agency in Georgetown Ontario to become the second location. In 1979 the Brampton location was sold to a group of local investors and Arend concentrated on the Georgetown location and also became involved on the ACTA board.

In 1987 Roos Travel Agency once again moved back into the Brampton area, opening an office on Main Street. This office was merged with Clare
Burt Travel in 1992 to become a major player in the Brampton corporate market.

Arend became president of ACTA Ontario in 1994. Also in 1994 Roos Travel, now Roos Travel Group purchased Stanley Cooper Travel in Hamilton
to become the third location. Stanley Cooper was a major corporate agency in the Hamilton area. In 1997 Roos purchased Travel 24 in Toronto to serve as a presence in the Toronto market.  This was  added to by the acquisition of Conference World Tours in 1998.

The year 2000 was a pivotal year for Roos Travel Group. Roos Group merged with Rogers Travel Group to become Vision 2000 Travel Group.
Simultaneously three travel companies in Montreal merged to also become Vision 2000. They were Options Voyages, Partners in Travel and Future Travel.
In 2001 Alberta was added to also become Vision 2000.

In 2001 Arend was the chair of the Travel Industry Council of Ontario.

The company grew dramatically in the corporate market in the first decade of this century. Today, Arend is the Chief Executive Officer of the Vision 2000 Travel Group, a company that employs over 500 travel professionals across Canada with sales in excess of $530 million. Contact Arend

Michael Thompson, Director
Appointed President of Contac Services, Inc. in January, 2011, Mike Thompson leads a global, multi-disciplinary company specializing in one to one data driven communication and supply chain management. Contac provides a comprehensive range of products and services to major brands around the world across its eConcierge™, supply chain management, online marketing, and travel technology platforms. Prior to this appointment, Mike was Vice President, Leisure Travel – North America, of CarlsonWagonlit Travel. He joined joined Carlson Wagonlit Travel in 1995 after serving as General Manager of CWT/International Travel Service in Guelph, Ontario. He lives in Toronto. Contact Michael

Monique Audet, Quebec region
Monique has been 40 years in the travel industry as a travel consultant leisure and corporate, a Marlin Travel  branch manager, operated her own travel agency, was director of sales and marketing for Thomas Cook and is now Vice President Québec of UNIGLOBE Travel (Eastern Canada) for the past 17 years. She is the support person for all the agencies in Québec.

Involved in the board of ACTA for more than 15 years she a very active member specialized in training and special events. Monique is also part of the Advisory Committee for travel agents in the province of Quebec. Contact Monique