MIAMI, FL, – Unique Vacations, Inc. (UVI) worldwide representative of luxury all-inclusive brands Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, announced today the retirement of longtime Chief Executive Officer Tammy Gonzalez, naming veteran travel executive Jeff Clarke as her successor. Most recently, Clarke served as UVI Chief Operating Officer. He will begin his new role as the company's Chief Executive Officer effective April 14, 2020.
Tammy Gonzalez CEO, Announces Retirement “Very few people get the opportunity to be part of something that changes everything in their industry,” said Gonzalez. “For more than 35 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside one of travel’s true visionaries and helping to build an organization that I believe in and am incredibly proud of. That’s why the time is right for me to pass the baton to Jeff. After working alongside him these past four years, I am confident of his leadership and in his ability to navigate this unprecedented moment, positioning our brands well for the future.”
"It's an honor to become CEO of this remarkably innovative company and a professional challenge to follow in the footsteps of Tammy Gonzalez,” said Clarke. "I have a great deal of respect for the work she has done to advocate for the brands we represent, to put travel advisors first and to make it easy for customers to understand the Sandals and Beaches difference. There is no question that we face exceptional circumstances but over 35 years, Gonzalez has demonstrated the strength of this team to rise again and again and I look forward to carrying on that tradition.”
According to Sandals Resorts International Chairman Gordon "Butch" Stewart, the changing of the guard is bittersweet. "Since the very beginning, Tammy has been the backbone of Unique Vacations. I will always be grateful for her insight and dedication and wish her well as she steps into this next chapter of her life,” said Stewart. “It is also my sincere pleasure to congratulate Jeff Clarke, who I have known for years and who I know is well-qualified to lead UVI into the future,” he continued.
“My appreciation and sincere thanks must go out to Tammy Gonzalez for her years of dedicated service and loyalty. The relationship fostered between Sandals and UVI is critically important to the success of the resorts and never more so than right now. We are in a rapidly evolving era of marketing communications. Our brands continue to steer towards growth and innovation and in great part that broadens the future. We look forward to working with Jeff to continue this invaluable strategy which has always set us apart and distinguished our organization,” said Adam Stewart, Deputy Chairman of Sandals Resorts International.
Jeff Clarke named CEO, Unique Vacations, Inc.
A longtime veteran of the travel industry, Clarke joined Unique Vacations in 2016 as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, he served as President of tour operator Travel Impressions, which was a division of Apple Leisure Group. For more than a decade, he held executive positions within the cruise segment and is a proud West Virginia University Mountaineer.
About Unique Vacations
Unique Vacations is the worldwide representative for the brands of Sandals Resorts International including Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts; as well as Fowl Cay Resort and Your Jamaican Villas, delivering the best Caribbean vacations to every sector of the market. Fulfilling sales, marketing, public relations, creative services and web-based initiatives for Sandals Resorts International, Unique Vacations works to effectively showcase and grow each distinct brand among consumers, partners, media and industry professionals alike. Unique Vacations is also committed to the success of its retail travel partners, offering the most comprehensive agent education and reward and recognition programs in the industry as well as a stringent pricing policy that eliminates discounting, protects brand integrity and avoids consumer confusion. For close to 40 years, Unique Vacations has continued to successfully elevate the resort portfolio of Sandals Resorts International as the World's Leading All-Inclusive Company.
