PHOTO: New Insight Vacations president Phil Cappelli, right, with Elayne Raksnys, Director of Sales, West Insight USA, and Mark Kazlauskas, new president of Frosch's leisure division. (courtesy Insight Vacations)

Frosch, the billion-dollar travel agency based in New York and Houston, in a surprise move named Marc Kazlauskas (pictured) as president of its leisure division. He will be based in the giant travel agency’s New York office in his new post effective March 3.

Kazlauskas for the past 12 years has served as U.S. president of Insight Vacations, a provider of premium escorted tours and cruises to Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, India, United States and Canada. Phil Cappelli, Insight’s current vice president of sales development and national accounts, will replace Kazlauskas as U.S. president effective Feb. 22, based in the company’s U.S. headquarters in Rye, N.Y.

“I look forward to working with the exceptional Frosch team and our outstanding supplier partners,” Kazlauskas said. “It’s an exciting time to be aligning myself with such a respected company and to help grow Frosch exponentially over the next few years, while ensuring we continue to deliver the outstanding service and standards Frosch is renowned for."

Before joining Insight, Kazlauskas held senior executive positions at Tauck, Trafalgar and Orient Lines. During his 20 years in the industry, he has been a staunch advocate for the travel agency channel and established many programs and seminars on educating travel agents on sales, marketing, customer service and strategic planning.

Capelli, who has served as Insight vice president of sales for the past three years, previously held executive posts at Tauck for 12 years.

“I am very pleased to publicly welcome Philip Cappelli into the top role,” said John Boulding, president and CEO of Insight Vacations Global. “Phil is well respected by the team and our travel agency partners. He has the right experience and is now the right person to take us into the future.”

Richard Lauder, president of Insight parent The Travel Corporation, praised Kazlauskas’ achievements while at Insight. “Marc has led Insight Vacations as its president for nearly 12 years, and he has been an outstanding contributor not just to his brand but also to The Travel Corporation,” said Launder.

“Anyone who knows Marc also knows how much he cares for Insight and all the people he works with. He has truly been at the forefront of the Insight brand and he leaves the Travel Corporation as a wonderful colleague and friend – we wish him the best as he begins the next chapter of his career.”

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