Gordy Silverman, senior director of industry education at Unique Vacations Inc. (UVI) and long-time advocate for travel advisor education who helped develop Sandals Resorts' "Certified Sandals Specialist" (CSS) program, died July 24 following a brief battle with cancer. She was 64.
Silverman joined Unique Vacations Inc., an affiliate of the worldwide representative of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts in 1987, according to UVI Executive Vice President of Sales and Industry Relations Gary Sadler and quickly established herself as a champion of travel agents. She began in UVI’s Miami office but later launched UVI’s West Coast presence. “Gordy’s long-term dedication to the company and knowledge of the travel industry were instrumental to our success. She will be deeply missed,” said Sadler.
He added, “Gordy can easily be described as ‘the mother of all trainers’ in the travel industry. She was directly involved in every single aspect of our company’s sales training from our newly hired BDMs to the wider travel industry. Gordy successfully developed and launched our 'Certified Sandals Specialist' program. For over 25 years, she was a driving force in the CSS workshops, keeping the sales messaging and training fresh and relevant for travel advisors year in and year out. She also conceptualized our popular ‘conventions,’ the informative yet entertaining events, which have quite literally trained tens of thousands of travel advisors and industry partners across North America and around the world on Sandals and Beaches Resorts … Quite simply, Gordy built the framework and the foundation for the Unique Vacations global sales training that the team and I proudly stand upon today. For that, we are all eternally in her debt.”
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