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S k l M em b er s New sl et t er
Inside this issue:
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THE SPOTLIGHT NEW SKL PRESIDENT SUSTAINABILITY IN TOURISM 2013 WORLD CONGRESS YOUNG SKL THE FUTURE

Our Motto

October 2012

Volume 1, Issue 2

All the news that fits we print!

2012 ANNUAL GALA DINNER

There is no doubt that Jefferson Golf & Country Club is a beautiful facility and a wonderful venue for the 2012 Annual Dinner. Many guests arrived early, enjoying a prolonged cocktail/networking period catching up with long time friends. More than 30 members and guests attended in their finest business attire, enjoying delicious fare which included tasty hors d'oeuvres and a three course dinner featuring a tasty salad, spicy roast chicken with jalapeno slices and scrumptious homemade pumpkin cheesecake. Victor Lopez was the wine sponsor, providing an intriguing selection of Conundrum Red and Conundrum White. Both are secret proprietary blends from Wagner Charles Lagarce with wine hosts Family Winery.
Evi and Victor Lopez. A handsome group of seasoned travel and tourism professionals enjoyed an evening of great food and conversations. More photos are available online at: www.cbusskal.com.

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Fellow Sllleagues Everywhere Happiness! Good Health! Friendship! Long Life!

As usual the conversation was filled with laughter and good natured kidding. Charles Lagarce made a point to note that one of our youngest members, Michael Holtzleiter was seated at a table with several

seasoned industry leaders. He reminds me of myself, when I first joined Skl, he said. I know that Mike is absorbing a lot of wisdom from that group. The evening ended Pete Welsh and Joanne McHugh with a final Skl enjoyed pleasant conversation toast by Victor and delicious fare. Lopez.

NOVEMBERANNUAL WINE TASTING DINNER

Please make a note that Novembers meeting will be held one week early, on the second Wednesday of the month, so as to accommodate the Thanksgiving holiday. The dinner will occur on November 14th at 6 pm. The gathering will be hosted by our friends at Embassy Suites Hotel at Columbus International Airport. The dinner will again serve as our annual wine tasting event and BJ Preston will be the wine sponsor. Heidelberg Distributing will be providing the wines and expertise. The evening will begin as usual with a cocktail networking session, from 6 pm 7 pm. Dinner will follow at 7 pm. We look forward to seeing all of you then.

Skl!

Columbus Skl News October 2012

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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTDIRK BENGEL

My Fellow Sklleagues What an outstanding job Jefferson Country Club did for our 46 anniversary dinner. Thank you to Scott Wise for making the arrangements. With the help and assistance of Bob Monicas son, Peter the web site is up and running and it is truly amazing. This will be an excellent communication tool to spread the word about The Skl Club of Columbus. As mentioned last month in my message, and discussed at the September meeting, our goal this year is to significantly increase membership and increase attendance at the monthly dinners. We have started to develop a plan to achieve these goals, but first and foremost we need all of our current members to be fully engaged. With that being said, I would kindly ask that if you receive an invite or email for any event or request for information from the club, please respond in a timely manner. We need to know who is in engaged and involved In order for us to move the club forward We are all about trying new things to make this club successful but we need everybodys help and support. As mentioned at the October dinner the next two meetings have been changed a bit. First, Novembers meeting will be held on the second Wednesday of the month, November 14th, at the Embassy Suites Columbus Airport. Decembers meeting has been changed to a lunch and will take place on December 19th at KDB, a terrific new restaurant at Easton. We look forward to great attendance at both events. Were also planning a community fund raising event to be conducted in December. Be on the lookout for more information on that as the details are solidified. Thanks to all those who attended the Gala. Pictures have been posted in the Photo Gallery on the website. Take a look. Unit next timeHappy Halloween and Skl!

How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.

John Burroughs -

Dirk SCALLEAGUES ACTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITY

This summer fellow Sklleagues Mary Polino and Janet Boissy volunteered at two exciting community events the 19th Annual Taste of Upper Arlington and Jungle Jacks Conservation Cup. The Upper Arlington event was a delicious evening attracting some 15,000 visitors. It featured area restaurants competing in various culinary categories. The ladies served food to the panel of judges and tallied up the winning votes. Jungle Jacks Conservation Cup for the benefit of the Columbus Zoo was an 18-hole golf scramble that included a special appearance by Jungle Jack Hanna and his animal friends. Our Sklleagues assisted with registration and served as observers for the hole-in-one contest.

SKAL CLUB INTERNATIONAL 2012/13 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Congratulations ladies, and thank you for your shining commitment to our community. You bring great honor to yourselves and Skl!

Columbus Skl News October 2012

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MEMBERSHIP SPOTLIGHT MIKE HOLTZLEITER

Although it was not preordained that Mike would choose a career in Hospitality, its not too surprising when you learn that Travel & Tourism is the Holtzleiter family business. His father, Marty was in hotel operations and his grandfather was a restaurateur. At the tender age of sixteen Mike went to work for his Dad as Banquet Set-up at the Clarion Hotel in Florence, KY. That experience led to his decision to pursue a degree in Hospitality Management at Columbus State Community College. It was during his tenure at CSCC that he applied for a position at the Crowne Plaza Downtown Columbus as a Guest Service Representative. It did not take long before the Columbus Hospitality team recognized Mikes earnest proficiency, promoting him to Front Office Supervisor and Assistant FOM. After graduation Mike returned home to care for some family matters, but soon returned to the Crowne to restart his career. He began as a Banquet Supervisor, but when the hotel was about to begin a major renovation he was tapped to lead the effort as Project Manager. When that project was complete he played a similar role for the Lofts Hotel and was then asked to serve similarly during the construction of the Hyatt Place Grandview. Charles Lagarce, President of Columbus Hospitality recognized Mikes extraordinary array of talents and promoted him to the position of opening General Manager for the property, the position he continues in to this day. Mike says that his personal management philosophy is founded on customer service. Its all about the guest, he says. Our goal is simply to satisfy the customer and bring them back again and again. Mike and his lovely wife, Stephanie have been married for four years. He says that his immediate goal is focused on promotion to a full-service property; preferably in the Columbus market area. With his winning combination of talent, hard work and dedication there is no doubt that this young Sklleague will get there and far beyond. Mike, and young tourism professionals like him represent the future of the industry and Skl.

SKL INTERNATIONAL ELECTS AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT.

Skl International has elected an American to serve as its president for the first time in two decades. Mok Singh, a 38-year travel industry veteran, had previously served as vice president of Skl International and has held prestigious positions within Skl at the local chapter, as well as national and international levels. In 1994, Mr. Singh was president of the Los Angeles Skl chapter and in 2006, president of Skl USA after serving on the national board for six years. Mok is president of Airworld Alliance, the largest general sales agent airline representation company based in North America. Airworld Alliance represents fifteen international airline accounts, operating out of six sales offices located in Los Angeles (head office), New York, Chicago, Houston, Vancouver, and Toronto. We congratulate Mok and wish him great success in his new area of responsibility.

SKL PROMOTES WORLDWIDE SUSTAINABILITY IN TOURISM

Skl International launched the Ecotourism Awards in 2002, to highlight and acknowledge best practices used around the globe. As a organization of industry leaders in travel and tourism, Skl aims to initiate change and encourage the conservation of the environment as it promotes travel. The awards highlighting individual practices worldwide emphasize the importance of the interaction of the physical, cultural and social environments, traveler's responsibilities and the need for active community participation in Ecotourism.

2013 WORLD CONGRESS

Four basic principals are stressed in the effort: 1. Reduce, 2. Reuse, 3. Recycle and 4. Replace. More information on this vital program, and tips to help members with their individual effort are available on the Skl International website. Awards progress in the area of sustainability were presented during the Opening Ceremony of the 73rd Skl World Congress, which this year took place in the South Korean city of Incheon, on 3rd October 2012.

THE BIG APPLE TO THE BIG BLUE SEA

The 2013 World Congress, hosted by Skl International New York, will be the first in Skl International's history to be held at sea! Carnival Cruise Lines ship, Glory will sail from the Big Apple to ports-of-call in New England and Canada. Enjoy seven days of meeting and mingling with Sklleagues from around the world, with fine dining and excursions at each port. September 28 October 5, 2013. MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW!

2012/2013 Board of Directors

President Dirk Bengel

Columbus Hospitality

Vice President Scott Wise

SEW Enterprises, Inc.

Secretary Mokie Steiskal

Columbus State Community College

Treasurer Vickie Andres

Travel ProfessionalRetired

Communications Chair Bob Monica

Columbus Hospitality

Program Chair B.J. Preston

Indus Hotels

Membership Chair Cliff Browne

Extended Stay Hotels

Co-Auditor Cliff Lanthorn

Commercial Savings Bank

Co-Auditor Pete Welsh

Welsh Consulting

ELECTION DAY IS ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012.

SIUSA Representative Carol Kizer

Industry EducatorRetired

Past President Tim Dant

Hyatt Hotels

YOUNG SKL: THE FUTURE OF SKL

Too few Sklleagues are aware of a special program known as: Young Skl. This is an area of involvement that our Board of Directors has decided to pursue in the next year. Established by Skl International in 1999 with the goal of creating a greater awareness of Skl International with young people studying for, or training in the various sectors of the travel and tourism industry. Young Skl is a student or young professional non-profit making group directly related to the hotel, tourism, leisure and passenger transport industry. It is a restricted Skl International category. Group members are not entitled to full Skl International membership or to hold office or vote in the sponsoring Club, or at any level in Skl International. Group members can only attend national or international congresses or meetings as an accompanying person of an active or life member of Skl International or if specifically invited. Young Sklleagues will be instructed that active membership in Skl is a natural progression. Like Skl members, Young Skl members should be encouraged to use the member get member approach to increase membership in their Club. Carol Kizer and Bob Monica have volunteered to serve on a committee to go to local educational institutions who offer programs in the areas of Hospitality, Travel, Tourism and Culinary Arts to provide students with additional information about Skl. Students will be encouraged to apply for Young Skl membership and a select group will be invited to join. More information will be provided to the membership in the months to come. A great deal more information is available on the Skl International website.