Just Picture It Now: The Belly of The Beast...

I had an opportunity last week to visit the home office of YTB International, Inc. Back in December, the company moved to a brand new location in Wood River, Illinois for Phase II of a three phase process. It was the second move in as many years and needed to be done in order to keep pace with the company’s growth and long term vision of being the number one Internet Travel Company in the world. After this visit, I would have to agree with this vision and am not only confident that YTB Travel Network will be number one in the next few years, but am also very proud to be a key part of YourTravelBiz.

After more than two years with the company, the company has always exceeded my expectations in what it said it was going to do and provide to those of us out in the field. Making it easier and better for those of us who want to build and create a future for ourselves if we just plug into the systems they have laid out for us. I can think of several improvements and advances over the years that have far exceeded expectations. This visit to the new home office was no different.

I have to admit, as I came up on the building, it was not what I had expected. Nobody told me that the renovations for Phase II only consisted of work done on the inside of the building. The outside was simply a shell of the old K-mart that had been abandoned some 10 years before. It wasn’t until I walked inside the building that I started to get a taste of the type of work that had been done and why people were so excited about what was being built. Here is a taste of what I found.

The main lobby was open and very modern. A couple of large LCD displays were found behind the front counter to display pictures of previous events from the National Convention, Coach’s Birthday Bash, and other Regional Trainings and events across the country. Another display produced a quad display of security cameras around the front, side and hallways inside the building. A large YTB International, Inc. logo is proudly displayed as you walking into the lobby area. (Just in case you didn’t know where you were.) The front counter was a white oak, and the floors covered in an ivory marble.

The entire complex was very modern and quit festive, including a couple of surf boards propped up in the windows of several of the Department Heads, one which included “Surfer Girl” just inside Sandy Pippins office, who happens to be not only YTB’s first employee, but has grown with the company as Vice President of Corporate Administration.

As the tour began, I realized just how many people at the home office actually support us out in the field. The facility is separated into different sections totaling 190 employees who specialize in departments which include, Representative Support, Travel Support, Travel Documentation, Travel Fulfillment, Travel Credentials, Marketing, IT, Legal, Payroll, Association and Corporate, and even a specialized department for those of us who speak Spanish. All these people dedicated to helping those of us out in the field to answer questions and provide the best support possible. To top it off, you got a strong cense that these people not only enjoy what they do, but are happy and eager to help us. And why not, the same Christmas Bonus is up for grabs this year for these employees as last year, tripling the end of the year bonus if they hit the magic number of 152,269.

After the tour, a lunch was served at the Gateway Center, just south of the home office. After the luncheon we had a chance to meet with Chairman of the Board 'Coach' Lloyd Tomer, YTB Travel Network President J. Kim Sorensen, and YourTravelBiz CEO Scott Tomer. We also heard from Andrew Cauthen, who joined the YTBI team in November 2004 as Chief Operating Officer of the YTB subsidiary. He was subsequently named President of YTB in October 2006, and on March 1, 2007 was named CEO of YTBI. John Clagg, our newly appointed Treasurer, also serves as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of YTBI as well as its subsidiaries. He joined the Company in December 2003. Eric Smith, Chief Information Officer, the keeper of YTB’s massive IT infrastructure who joined the company in 2001. Ted Lindauer, Vice President of Legal and Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel, who has worked with the company since it’s inception in 2001, but recently closed his California practice to come work with YTB full time in the summer of 2006. The YTB management team is unified in one vision – commitment and support to it’s RTA’s and Reps.

After listening to each of these Department heads, I’m more confident than ever that YTBI is here for the duration, and committed to supporting myself, and my growing team. As I grow, YTB grows with me. YTB has increased its corporate staff from fewer than 30 employees in 2004 to 190 as of March 8. Plans include doubling this support staff to 400 by the end of 2007, and a total of 750 by year end 2009. With only one quarter of the new home office being finished at this point in time, that leaves another 100,000 square feet to house this support staff.

I thought I saw something in this company more than two years ago. In reality, it’s actually better than I thought it would ever be. YTB has always had a way of exceeding my expectations and I’m thrilled to see what’s happening to this company. Now more than ever!