Valerie Wilson Travel, Inc. (VWT), one of the country's largest privately owned and family-managed travel management companies, welcomed Patrick Fragale as senior vice president. The former president of Protravel International, Fragale will work closely with Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, the company's co-president and co-owner, focusing on business development. He will be a member of VWT's Executive Committee.
VWT recently internally launched its 2020 strategic plan, with a focus on growth and profitability. Fragale's arrival is a significant factor in a culmination of events, from the new flagship headquarter office in New York City to a re-structure of the management team and shift in leadership style committed to improving communication, transparency, nimbleness, and efficiency.
"Pat is the right person, at the right time, for VWT," Wilson-Buttigieg said. "I could not be more excited to make great things happen together and advance the VWT brand, which I am incredibly passionate about and remain dedicated to elevating to the next level."
"Having competed against VWT for years, it is inspiring to be on this side of the fence," Fragale said. "Besides being drawn to your 37-year history and success as a full-service travel management powerhouse, it was the fact that the company truly has a heart and soul that closed the deal for me. In today's age of impersonal service and over-reliance on technology, it is refreshing that VWT has been able to find a balance between technological efficiency and personal connection. If I were a prospective traveler or independent contractor looking for a different experience, no question VWT is the company I would call."
At Protravel, Fragale oversaw 900-plus employees and contractors at 18 branches in the U.S. and the U.K. with annual sales exceeding $900 million. Prior to Protravel, Fragale was president/COO at Direct Travel, Inc., from 1993 to 2013. At Direct Travel, he successfully negotiated the acquisition of several agencies as well as the buy-out and stock transfer of the company to a private equity firm in 2011.
Fragale has served on numerous advisory boards and panels within and outside the travel industry, including Continental Airlines (now United Airlines), Delta Air Lines, Travelport, the Maryland Hotel/Motel Association, Morgan State University Hospitality Program, Southwest Academy of Tour Travel and Hospitality and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Headquartered in New York, VWT was founded in 1981 by Valerie Ann Wilson, chairman and CEO. It is managed with her two daughters, co-presidents and co-owners Wilson-Buttigieg and Kimberly Wilson Wetty. All VWT locations are members of Virtuoso, the luxury travel network. The agency has been consistently named on Travel + Leisure's A-List and is a globally recognized brand.
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