Management

Born and raised in Germany, Wido started his career working for major international airlines in Frankfurt. He spent a year each in Nairobi, Kenya and Barcelona before being transferred to New York. After three years in the capital of the New World, Wido went West and started TravelStore in 1975 with two desks, two typewriters and one employee. Today, TravelStore is one of the most respected travel management companies in the US with nearly 300 associates and closing in on $200 million in annual sales. The company is ranked # 36 nationwide (2004) and the largest independent travel company in California.

Wido is active on the advisory boards of Four Seasons Hotels; Ritz Carlton Hotels; Orient-Express Hotel, Trains & Cruises; as well as Travel & Leisure Magazine. Wido's active lifestyle includes tennis, skiing and traveling the world. He and his son Brian also own and operate the Hotel Durant in Aspen, Colorado.

Wido is one of the "Three Travel Gurus" in Sally Horchow's article about adventure travel in Distinction Magazine. In 2005, Wido was awarded the "Leader in Luxury" award from TravelAgent Magazine.

Born in Argentina, Osvaldo came to the U.S. in 1979 as Comptroller, Western USA for Argentine Airlines. In 1985 he joined TravelStore to become the sole member of its Accounting Department. He now oversees most of the company operations.

Osvaldo enjoys golfing, and is an enthusiastic soccer and Lakers fan. He enjoys traveling around the world splitting his time between restful vacations (a cruise in Tahiti or a beach resort in the Riviera Maya), and active vacations (a safari in Kenya or the rainforest in Costa Rica), as well as visiting family and friends in his beloved Buenos Aires. Osvaldo has been happily married to his wife Miriam for over 30 great years. They have two children, Martin and Andrea, both whom are college graduates.

Trudy Flores has worked in different facets of the travel business for almost three decades, including a ski tour operator, leisure travel, corporate travel and management. “One of my loves is to constantly brainstorm on how to provide better service for our clients. I truly believe we have the best agents and technology in the business.” Even though TravelStore has earned many awards, she frequently challenges her staff to seek methods to improve practices.

In order to balance work and family Trudy loves to run. At least once a year she runs a half marathon for her friend’s non-profit organization. “It is the most gratifying experience to run 13.1 miles while earning money for special needs children.” Staying physically fit is important to Trudy and her family which allows them to fulfill their passion for travel.

Trudy has been married for over 27 years and has two sons. The special bond she has with her immediate family and extended family is traveling. “Traveling is a special time for family to enjoy each other, no matter how diverse our interests are. There’s one common thread-- we love to travel!”

Jim started his professional career in commercial banking while in college, followed by a position with the Trust and Investment Management Divisions of First Interstate Bank and Chase Manhattan Bank. Over 20 years ago Jim was offered an opportunity in corporate travel with an invitation to head up the corporate and entertainment sales division of Hoffman Travel, now BCD Travel. After 10 years of successful sales with over $100 million in new business, Jim was recruited by TravelStore to become the Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Day-to-day business development in the Southern California area rests with Jim with over $90 million in new sales business attributed year to date. "I truly believe in a 100% team effort in our relationship with our employees, clients and vendors. TravelStore is a special place in that each of us is an Employee-Owner and a true member of the TravelStore family".

“I live in Moorpark, (The Mayberry of Ventura County) with my beautiful wife and two amazing young girls, Carlie and Delanie. In addition to work and family life, I am a passionate about triathlons and marathon's and have completed over 14 marathons and over 25 triathlons.”

Dan got his start in travel soon after graduating as a triple major from USC in Political Science, Philosophy and Russian Studies. He helped establish the USC Student Travel Service in 1973, and began operating his own tours to Russia. Since then he has worked for tour operators and travel associations, including establishing and managing the cruise travel division of the AARP. Dan now oversees TravelStore’s leisure division and has been active on various travel advisory committees.

Dan’s commitment to travel has always been heightened by an awareness of tourism’s role in promoting understanding and peaceful relations between peoples of different nations and cultures and of the environment. China, Bali, Europe, South Africa, Galapagos and Hawaii, or anywhere at sea, are among Dan’s favorite destinations.

Dan is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC), certified Master Cruise Counselor (MCC), and has been on over 40 cruises. “There is a serenity being at sea, an inner place I can touch, that I’ve rarely experienced anywhere else.” In a former life Dan was active on the poetry circuit, publishing a literary magazine, Stonecloud, and ran a co-op of independent literary publishers. He is also a limited partner in award-winning McKeon Phillips Winery.

I am a true California native born in Orange County in 1966. As a child I always had a fascination with electricity and how things worked mechanically, as when I stuck a knife in an electrical outlet, then a key, then my mom’s metal hair pick… it’s truly a miracle I lived through those experiences but to me an outlet meant an opportunity (and still does)!

In 1992 I was hired by TravelStore as an agent and became one of the top producers for corporate travel. I began to investigate technology in the travel industry and introduced the office to word processing, inter-office e-mail and a few other things! Before I knew it we had a complete network and I had created an entirely new position for myself. I have built and continue to manage the technology infrastructure that runs our branch locations and over 200+ users.

I live in the Los Angeles Valley, and enjoy spending my free time getting together with friends and family, hiking, going to the movies, theatre and out to dinner, and traveling. As a former agent I place a high value on customer service and I have the unique perspective of knowing what our agents must do to stay on top of the ever-changing travel industry. We have the very best agents the industry can offer and it’s my job to ensure that they have the best tools available.

An “East Coast girl”, Sue moved to California in 1986 and has been part of the TravelStore team since 1991. She holds a degree in Tourism and within the industry has worked as a Leisure Agent, Corporate Agent, Teacher, Travel School Administrator and Office Manager. Sue’s focus is on standardization, communication and supporting high levels of service throughout TravelStore.

Sue lives in the South Bay with her two sons. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, kickboxing, reading and traveling. Her favorite destinations offer a strong sense of culture and history – Peru, Turkey, Cuba, Irian Jaya. ”Each village, tribe and individual has a unique story and day to day existence. It’s fascinating how we can be so different, yet really alike underneath it all. I’ve learned that humor is the universal language!”