TORONTO — Direct Travel, Inc. has appointed Sherry Saunders as its Senior Vice President, Client Management, effective immediately.

In her new role, Saunders will lead the account management teams for both the company’s Canada East and West regions, focusing on client services, retention and strategy. She joins the company as it streamlines operations between its East and West regions in preparation for future growth, fuelled in part by the worldwide easing of travel restrictions.

Saunders is well known in the industry for being VP of Operations at Navigant Travel, prior to its acquisition by CWT. She continued on with leading roles at CWT for more than 15 years, most recently serving as Senior Vice President and GM for CWT Canada, US East and North American Leisure. She has also served as Chair of the Canadian Corporate Travel Association.

Joel Ostrov, President of Direct Travel’s Canada East region, says that Saunders’ extensive experience “makes her uniquely qualified to step into this new role and shepherd the efforts of our account management teams across Canada.” He adds: “By combining our East and West Region teams under her leadership, we will be better positioned to serve our clients in every market and further deliver on Direct Travel’s ‘Whatever It Takes’ mission.”

Saunders says that she is honoured to join Direct Travel at such a pivotal time for travel.

“I hold in high esteem the many colleagues at Direct Travel that I’ve worked with in the past, and I look forward to introducing myself to the other members of the team. Together, we’ll show our uncompromising commitment to every single client we serve,” she says.