ASTA Names Seifert Travel Agent of the Year

Published on: September 15, 2009

Mary Louise Seifert, CTC, owner of Welcome Aboard Vacation Center, Inc., in Scottsdale, Ariz., was honored with ASTA’s 2009 Travel Agent of the Year Award, during the group’s annual meeting at THETRADESHOW in Las Vegas. The award, inspired by Joseph W. Rosenbluth, recognizes an active travel agent member who has made a great contribution to the travel industry and whose outstanding influence and professional activity have advanced the status of travel agents.

Seifert first began in the travel and tourism field in 1973 when she joined her family’s business. Two years later, she became a member of ASTA and since then has been active at both the chapter level -- holding various offices in the Arizona sub-chapter since 1980 -- and national level.

As president of the Arizona Chapter, Seifert went on to take her chapter through a period of significant membership and financial growth. In 1996, she was elected to the national Board of Directors, representing Area 16 (Arizona and Rocky Mountain Chapters). This term was followed by her election in 2000 to the position of National Treasurer, a position she held for two consecutive terms. During her tenure as treasurer, she was the first to introduce a balanced-budget policy and took on the daunting task of chairing the Governance Task Force, charged developing a new governance structure for the new ASTA. In 2004 she was elected as ASTA’s National Secretary. Additionally, she chaired ASTA’s Special Projects Committee in 2006 and has served on ASTA’s Budget and Finance Committee.

She has been a member of the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, the Main Street Association, and was secretary/treasurer of Travel Agents for Fairness in Public Spending. Seifert also has sat on numerous advisory boards, including those for Thrifty and National Car Rentals. For more information, visit www.asta.org.