First in Service (F1S) has announced the appointment of longtime travel industry veteran Gina Gabbard as chief strategy officer, effective immediately. Gabbard will report directly to F1S CEO Fernando Gonzalez.
In this newly created role, Gabbard will spearhead the development and execution of strategic initiatives aimed at accelerating growth and profitability across F1S branches, sales and partnerships, and marketing teams. With her extensive experience in the travel industry, Gabbard will play a pivotal role in identifying and cultivating strategic relationships, monitoring market trends and driving the organization’s strategic direction.
“As First in Service continues to expand its presence in our three primary travel sectors—corporate, entertainment and luxury leisure travel—in each of the five countries and three continents where we continue to strengthen our presence, we recognize the need for a seasoned strategist to guide our growth initiatives,” said Gonzalez. “Gina Gabbard’s exceptional history of success and deep understanding of the industry make her the perfect fit for this role. We are confident that her leadership will propel F1S to new heights of success.”
Gabbard brings over two decades of experience in travel sales, marketing and business development, particularly with expertise in travel advisor and supplier relations to her new role. Prior to joining F1S, she served as vice president of leisure and independent advisors at OvationNetwork, where she oversaw all areas of the multimillion-dollar division, including IC relations, supplier partnerships and the company’s Virtuoso membership. Her previous roles include chief sales officer at Lindblad Expeditions; senior vice president of leisure and independent advisors at Ovation Travel Group; and vice president of leisure sales at Tzell Travel Group. In addition to her travel agency and cruise experience, Gabbard has also worked in the tour and hospitality segments.
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