In a letter sent to Luxury Travel Advisor, Backroads founder and president Tom Hale has announced that KC Hoppe has left the company after nearly 20 years. In her absence, Alicia Kjeldgaard will be managing the company’s travel agency program and business development from its Berkeley, CA office.
“KC has impacted the lives of many of us here in the Berkeley office and around the world, and her name is woven into the fabric of the travel industry far beyond Backroads,” said Hale in the letter. “It’s hard to imagine how we could have made it through the travails of the last year without KC’s tireless efforts, and her positivity and warmth will truly be missed. KC has plans to travel and spend more time with her husband, Ted. We're excited for what the future has to offer, and we certainly hope our paths will cross again.”
Hoppe started with the company in 1997 as manager, partnerships and promotions and travel industry, where she remained for 10 years. After spending time elsewhere, she returned in 2013 as the director of travel industry relations, before moving to roles as the guest services manager and then as assistant director of sales.
Supporting Kjeldgaard will be Hannah Lawnik on the West Coast and Leigh Sassone on the East Coast, together covering all of the U.S. and Canada. You can reach out to the team at TAsupport@backroads.com. Kjeldgaard joined Backroads in 2018 as director of business development, corporate and group incentive travel.
Hale also announced that his daughter, Avery Hale, is joining the family business as its new director of sales.
“We are thrilled to be back in our offices—and back in Europe!—and 2022 is shaping up to be an incredible year for active travel around the world,” Hale concluded. “The future looks bright here at Backroads, and we thank you for your continued support on the road ahead.”
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