When the US economy began to visibly dip, and then for many industries plummet, timeshare sales companies, timeshare developers, and some timeshare resales companies were forced to lay off employees. Yet despite the layoffs, many companies in the timeshare industry are repeatedly recognized as outstanding employers. They may have in the past had to cut back staffing, but clearly, these timeshare companies are not cutting back on their respect and concern for employees.

The Timeshare Authority Blog frequently reports on the recognition timeshare companies receive as top employers for which to work. (Recent post: RCI Timeshare Exchange Makes Best Places to Work List)

Two timeshare companies gaining notoriety as great places to work include:

• Shell Management Hawaii, Inc. which has been recognized as the “Number 1 Best Place to Work in Hawaii for 2010,” and
• Wyndham Exchange & Rentals New Jersey, honored among 2010, “Best Places to Work in New Jersey”

Shell Management Hawaii, Inc. (Shell Vacations Club) was honored this spring at an awards dinner at the Sheraton Waikki, Hawaii, as recognized by Pro Service Hawaii and published in Hawaii Business Magazine. Shell Management took the honors in the category for large employers (150 employees or more) and beat out other timeshare companies including Wyndham Vacation Ownership and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, both nominated in the same category.

Linda Anthony, Regional vice president of Shell Management Hawaii said, “Shell Management Hawaii’s recognition as the number one best place to work in Hawaii resulted from a magical blend of amazing employee-centric programs and policies carried out by a deeply committed team of managers.”

Wyndham Exchange & Rental (Wyndham Timeshare) was recognized by NJBIZ as one of New Jersey’s best employers that benefit the state’s economy, workforce and business. Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Wyndham Exchange & Rentals says, “It is because of our passionate, dedicated and incredibly enthusiastic associates that we continue to generate tremendous engagement and a caring community culture through our offices here in New Jersey and around the world.”

Ballotti also pointed out that Wyndham’s Indianapolis location was named among the top companies to work for in Indiana in 2010, for the second year in a row, as well.

Shell Vacations Club timeshares, owner or operator of 23 timeshare resorts in the US, Canada, and Mexico, announces new leadership in three key corporate positions.

Karen Buttice has been selected to lead Shell Vacations Club’s programs that provide extensive fee-based services for resorts, condos, hotels, and timeshare owners associations. Her role specifically includes oversight of Direct Member Affiliate Programs; hospitality and association management; employee certification programs; timeshare rental; distribution of unused inventory; a comprehensive travel program; and sales and marketing services.

Buttice explains, “After decades of leadership in the vacation ownership industry and proven success with our points-based Shell Vacations Club (wwwShellVacationsClub.com), we have recognized a growing opportunity for others to benefit from our expertise and are actively pursuing growth by providing these fee-based services. This is an ideal way to expand our business by leveraging our services and management expertise. We believe the expansion of our fee-based services model validates our commitment to these strategic initiatives. We have received so many calls regarding our expertise in these areas; this is a natural extension of our business. It is exciting to formalize a program that will enable others to share in the facets of our business that have made us successful.”

Ilese Flamm has been appointed by Shell Vacations LLC as Senior VP of Legal Affairs. Flamm has 18 years as a legal professional in the timeshare industry and before joining Shell Vacations, was the Executive VP and General Counsel for Wyndham Exchange & Rentals. She has also been Senior Attorney for the Disney Vacation Club, where she was involved in all aspects of timeshares and timeshare resort development.

Bernard Freibaum is a new-hire at Shell Vacations LLC, recently appointed as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Freibaum will work with Sheldon H Ginsburg, Shell Vacations Chairman and CEO and with Tracy L Sherles, the company’s President and COO, focusing on new growth opportunities for the company and on enhancing business operations within Sell Vacation Club’s many divisions.

Founded in 1963, Shell Vacations has been a leader in the timeshare industry, remaining popular with timeshare owners and timeshare renters. Responding to consumer preferences, in 1999, the timeshare company introduced a timeshare points based system designed to give timeshare owners greater flexibility in the ways they use and enjoy timeshare.

Women in the Timeshare Industry association will host networking and educational events at the upcoming ARDA Convention.

With the ARDA (American Resort Development Association) Convention upcoming at the end of this month, WIN (Women in the Industry) is planning a special networking event on Tuesday, March 31, at the Orlando World Center Marriott. WIN is an exciting timeshare industry association we have written about before at The Timeshare Authority. According to Cathy Backus of CSA Travel Protection, WIN truly represents, and is represented by, women in all areas of timeshares and resorts. The non-profit organization works as a collective group to foster leadership and create opportunities in the hospitality and the timeshare industries, particularly for women.

Spirit Incentives is a primary sponsor of the networking event, during which WIN will be unveiling their interactive website and kicking off an organizational membership drive.

As part of the ARDA Convention, WIN will also host the “Breakfast of Champions,” featuring Olympic swimmer Janet Evans and sponsored by Hilton Grand Vacations. Additionally, WIN is hosting a special educational session at the ARDA Convention titled, “Not Just the Boys Club Anymore: Welcome to the Girls Club: How the Face of the Workplace Has Changed.”

Women looking to be a part of WIN can follow this link to learn more about Women In the Industry, and the great things they are doing for the timeshare industry and its future.

Corporate Benefactors for WIN include: Marriott Timeshare, Wyndham Worldwide, ICE, Group RCI, Shell Vacations, Bluegreen Corporation, C.A.R.E. and The Trades.

Past blog posts on The Timeshare Authority, profiling WIN:

• Women Changing the Face of Timeshares and Timesharing (Part I)
• Women Carving Out their Future in the Timeshare Industry (Part II)

Part I in a two-part series.

WIN, which stands for Women in the Industry, is a unique new organization that recognizes just how much talented, professional women can (and do) mean to the timeshare industry. The mission of this non-profit group includes advocating, educating, and connecting women in the vacation ownership industry.

As Georgi Bohrod, Cathy Backus, and Lani Kane-Hanan, (WIN’s founders and BOD) explain, the primary purpose of WIN is to foster the growth of women by recognizing their accomplishments and creating a strong networking environment. In addition to providing a forum for women in the timeshare and vacation industry to unite and leverage best practices, WIN will also support industry research particularly as it pertains to women.

Last week I had the opportunity to talk with some of the women behind WIN; I know you would be interested in what they have to say. For background, here is a profile of the seven founding members and volunteer Board of Directors of WIN. These short bios don’t begin to do justice to the depth and breadth of professional experience these industry leaders have in a diversity of areas from leisure, to marketing, to recreation, to hotels and hospitality, and of course, timeshare.

• Cathy Backus’ career includes eight years with TWA; owner/operator of Youth Explorers; Director of US Sales for Club Med; and her current position as Global Sales Director with CSA Travel Protection.
• Georgi Bohrod is the owner of GBG & Associates Inc., and has more than two decades of shared ownership industry experience. She is a designated Registered Resort Professional; writer; and public relations and marketing professional; and past director of marketing and public relations for Resort Communications.
• Melanie Gring is the vice president marketing for Global Connections. Prior to acquisition by Global, Melanie was the managing partner of Leisuretainment.com, LLC. She has more than 35 years of experience in the vacation ownership industry; 26 years with Fairfield Resorts; was past president of Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers (CARE) and currently serves on the Board of Directors of CARE.
• Lani Kane-Hanan, RRP, is the senior vice president of Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI). Lani is a third generation hotelier with over 20 years in the hospitality industry. She is responsible for all MVCI’s business planning, inventory and revenue management, pricing, and product innovation activities.
• Lisa Jackson is the vice president of strategic business development at International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE) and is the past regional sales manager for Cunard Line. Lisa manages all resort business development at ICE, seeking out new partners and ensuring that those currently using the ICE programs are fully realizing the benefits.
• Eliana Jones has worked with timeshare developers in Mexico and USA, including Shell timeshare Corporation, Palace Resorts Corporation, Solaris Resorts, and Sunset Group. Eliana is a partner of Zunny Trails Company, an international marketing and destination management company offering lead generation solutions to timeshare resorts across the border.
• Karen Knight, CTSM brings over 20 years of experience in the vacation industry to WIN. She is the past director of marketing for San Francisco Recreation and Park Department; was the grand opening director of Legoland California; past manager of university conference programs for both Cal Poly and Santa Clara Universities and has marketed and managed several boutique hotels in the San Francisco Bay area.

These are seven dynamic, timeshare industry leaders, who have identified both a need and an opportunity. You will be interested in what they have to say about timesharing, women, WIN, and the future of the industry; in the interview I’ll post on Monday’s The Timeshare Authority blog.

I wish I could give you more background on this news item, but for now, we will rely on StreetTalk Blog as our primary source. According to a posting last week on their site, Shell Vacations Club timeshare has entered into a letter of intent with Coco Palms Venture II, Inc, the current owners of Kauai’s historic Coco Palms hotel.

The Coco Palms is a Hawaiian resort classic whose fame was enhanced when Elvis Presley filmed the finale of Blue Hawaii there in 1961. Almost all of the last 20 minutes of the film is shot on or near The Coco Palms.

In 1992, Hurricane Iniki did extensive damage to the island of Kauai and threw the local economy into a downward spiral. As the islanders rebuilt, virtually every resort was restored except perhaps its most famous, The Coco Palms.

Without repairs, the beautiful resort has sat unused for nearly 20 years, with only the wedding chapel remaining operational. If Shell Vacations Club timeshare is successful in its efforts to buy and restore the resort, it will be a wonderful benefit to the people of the island and the local economy.

Earlier this year, Hawaii State Senator Gary Hooser explored the idea of a joint venture project – perhaps a public-private effort – to build a park on the property. Whether Shell Vacations intends to be part of this effort, or if there is still any interest in such a park, is not known. Coco Palms Venture II has only owned the resort since 2006, when they purchased it in hopes of building a full service spa there, an idea that never received the approval it needed to move forward. Last year, the company put the property on the market for sale.

The citizens and the legislators of Hawaii are forever walking a tightrope, trying to balance the development necessary to maintain and grow their economy with their responsibility to protect their cultural heritage and beautiful environment.

And on that note, be sure you take a look at this clip from Blue Hawaii, and listen as Elvis sings the Hawaiian Wedding song.

What a great time to spend Canadian dollars on US timeshare! I know I have mentioned this before, but with the value of Canada’s loonie strong to the US dollar, Canadians have never been better positioned to buy timeshare or rent timeshare in the United States.

And since Canadians are quickly realizing this, there have been a number of articles on timeshares and vacation ownership in the Canadian press lately with good advice for anyone who wants to buy timeshare or buy timeshare resales. But, I was particularly impressed with an article I read in Canada.com, titled, “No such thing as a free lunch“. Reporter Sandy Fife has done an excellent job of defining the pitfalls (many) and the benefits (a few) of attending timeshare promotions in order to enjoy a reduced rate vacation.

Notwithstanding the fact that a timeshare promotion deal may enable you to take a vacation with free or deeply discounted rates, and provides you an excellent chance to try before you buy timeshare, the high-pressure tactics of some salespeople may offset the value of what would have otherwise been a relaxing vacation.

If You Attend a Timeshare Presentation…

Fife offers the following good suggestions for surviving a timeshare promotion:

• Choose a reputable name in the hotel and/or timeshare resort industry for your free (or reduced) getaway.
• Be very careful if you choose to respond to a timeshare promotion that contacts you only by email or phone solicitation.
• And lastly, she says, don’t even think about going if you are susceptible to high-pressure sales pitches.

As one seasoned veteran of enjoying timeshare promotions was quoted as saying, “You should never buy at a presentation, because time-shares cost much less on resale.” I couldn’t have said that better myself.

If you have ever considered going on a timeshare promotion vacation, just to enjoy the perks that come with it, take a few minutes and read the Canada.com article first. And if you want to sidestep the sales rush and developer prices, go straight to shopping timeshare resales.

When you visit the website for Sell My Timeshare NOW, we don’t give you free tickets to theme parks, or a coupon good for breakfast, but you can browse and peruse our huge inventory of timeshare resales and timeshare rentals as much, and as often as you like. You can show up in your pajamas or your favorite sweats, and from the comfort and convenience of your personal computer, you can take your time selecting the timeshare vacation option that is right for you. Best of all, what you save when you buy timeshare resales instead of paying developer prices, will help you pay for future vacations—vacations that don’t involve sitting through sales presentations.

Here are links to a few of the timeshare resorts from which you can choose at Sell My Timeshare NOW.

• Bluegreen Timeshare
• Marriott Timeshare
• Shell Vacations Club Timeshare
• Starwood (including Westin and Sheraton) Timeshare
• Fairfield, WorldMark / Trendwest Timeshare
• Hilton Grand Vacation Club Timeshare
• Westgate Timeshare
• Mayan Palace Timeshare
• Orange Lake Timeshare