Associate Board of Director: Michael Bowers

Michael Bowers

President & CEO, Travel Safety Solutions, LLC
Watch candidate interview.

Please describe your experience as a volunteer within or outside the travel community.

I currently serve on the board of directors for Depart Smart, a travel safety app that teaches travelers to be prepared before they leave home. I am the President of a none profit corporation that owns and operates a golf course in Florence AZ. I have been of the boards of the Boy Scouts of American as the Chairman of SE Alaska, the JDRF in Spokane Washington and Denver Colorado, I was the Marketing Chairman for the Ketickan Visitors bureau in SE Alaska and on their executive board, and served on the SYTA board for 4 years.

Please describe your professional experience in the student travel industry.

I was a Sr. Director of a tour operator organization for 6 years, and a Regional Director for an airline who was a member of SYTA as an associate member. I have my own student travel safety consulting firm and am currently and associate member of SYTA.

Please describe other professional or personal experience that would benefit you as a Board member.

I help shape the vision, mission, and values for the SYTA board and was able to refresh the SYTA strategic plans to establish a road map for future boards to follow. I was instrumental in enhancing SYTA’s relationship with the SYF board of directors and bringing the two organizations closer together. I understand the industry and believe I can add value to its future.

Please describe why you would like to serve as a Board of Director (Associate).

I am passionate about the student travel industry and my ability to bring ideas and actions that can help shape its future.

What do you see as the challenges facing the student travel industry? What can SYTA do to meet those challenges?

COVID-19 is an immediate challenge and how we address it can help promote a quicker return to normal student travel. Education of members is a priority to help promote more consistency in the delivery of the travel experience. Finding more and better ways to help clients better protect their investments is also a very current challenge.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the Nominating Committee?

I think I can add value from a different perspective. I have been on the active member side and the associate member side and believe I can relate to both groups priorities and concerns. I am a collaborative person by nature and think I can fit well into the current board with a very short learning curve. My priorities will be focused on the associate members and not my own. I would embrace the opportunity to add to the value of the current and future boards.