26 JUN 2018: Collette chief executive Dan Sullivan Jr has named his daughter, executive vice president Jaclyn Leibl-Cote, as the new president of the family-owned escorted tours company. Sullivan announced Leibl-Cote’s promotion at a Future of Travel Global Forum, in Rhode Island to celebrate the firm’s 100th anniversary.

Addressing an audience of around 400 industry partners at a gala dinner in Providence, Sullivan said that although he himself was officially both CEO and president, he had never used the latter title.

“Jaclyn is the one in the industry, she is the right person to be president,” he said.

She is the third generation of the family to work in the business, founded by Jack Collette in 1962. The business was subsequently bought by Dan Sullivan Sr – Leibl-Cote’s grandfather.

Leibl-Cote, whose husband Christian is responsible for the UK market, joined the business in 2005. She spent many years designing product and managing tours in regions including in the US and Australia and she has also guided tours and worked in the customer care centre as an inside sales representative.

She said, “We have a strong leadership team throughout because everyone is part of the family.

“We surround ourselves with the best people and we work together every day to create masterpieces.”