St. Louis-based Ann Sedgwick Named ‘BDD of the Year’

 

Carnival Cruise Lines has recognized six of its outside sales professionals for providing superior service to travel agents during the past year, with Ann Sedgwick, Carnival’s business development director (BDD) for Missouri, receiving the “BDD of the Year” designation for the second time in three years.

Sedgwick, a 21-year veteran of the Carnival sales team, was selected from nearly 72 Carnival business development managers (BDMs) and BDDs who work with more than 30,000 travel agents across the U.S. and Canada in developing new business opportunities.

Additionally, Alicia Steuart, based in Ft. Worth, Texas, was named “Regional BDD of the Year” for the central region; Syracuse, N.Y.-based BDM Kelly Corbett for the eastern region; San Diego.-based BDD Lori Goldspiel for the western region; Orlando, Fla.-based BDM Javier Yataco for the southern region; and Quebec-based BDM Lynne St. Jean for Canada.

“All of Carnival’s 72 field sales professionals do an amazing job at providing support and the right tools to help travel agents succeed, but these six individuals constantly ‘go the extra mile’ in developing effective sales and marketing strategies,” said Lynn Torrent, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and guest services.

Carnival’s field sales force works closely with travel agents to help expand their client base and ultimately close more sales through intensive marketing initiatives, including innovative sales seminars, often in the agency’s place of business. Carnival’s BDMs and BDDs also coordinate marketing promotions and co-operative adverting agreements with travel agents in their respective regions.

Carnival is the most popular cruise line in the world with 22 “Fun Ships” operating three- to 16-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Europe and South America.  The line currently has three new ships scheduled for delivery between now and 2011.  The first of those, the 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor, is scheduled to debut in Europe July 2, 2008.

For additional information and reservations on Carnival’s “Fun Ship” cruises, call 1-800-327-9501 (individual) or 1-800-327-5782 (groups) or visit the line’s travel agent Internet portal, bookccl.com.

Carnival’s business development services department can be reached at 1-800-327-7276.