Laura Spears:  

I left Fresno immediately upon graduation and went to Southern California. Through a series of interactions I found myself working for Avis Rent a Car. By 19 years of age, I was a Manager, and was soon promoted again to a field position, Managing SFO airport. That was way back in the 70's. The gas crisis hit and Avis had massive layoffs - I was one of them. So there I was, living in San Jose, and unemployed. I took a job with a small travel agency only to "help them out". They too, had to shut their doors as the economy was not very good. The owner made specific efforts to see that I has hired by another agency in town. I soon found myself working with the Santa Clara athletic team movements, doing Industry forums, and working with the owners to launch a very successful tour company called Classic Vacations. I can easily say that my gounding for business ethics, came from that small beginning. Soon a headhunter called me, and wanted me to Manage a Global Travel Agency - Thomas Cook Travel. We are still in the mid to late 70's. By 1980, Travel Agencies were re-inventing themselves, there were retail and corporate agencies, and speciality agencies that handled incentive and group travel. By this time I had managed every facet of the business and I was asked to open up large business call centers, group operations centers and accounting centers. Actually, I had the distinct pleasure of being one of only 2 women Managers in the US. This was a British based company - well behind the US in breaking down the glass ceiling. In 1982 I married Larry. He is well grounded and has an adventuresome spirit. His company soon transferred him to Southern California, and as luck would have it, Thomas Cook asked me to duplicate my Northern California efforts, and open up the Southern California Market. Soon, I was leading over 400...Expand for more