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Este informe no está disponible en español. CARIBBEAN BUSINESS P.R. Skål Club names P.R. Travel & Tourism Editor Ronald Flores ‘Outstanding Member of the Year’ By MARIELLA PÉREZ SERRANO May 13, 2005 The Skål Club of Puerto Rico recently presented its "Outstanding Member of the Year" award to new member Ronald C. Flores, editor of Puerto Rico Travel & Tourism magazine, for his active participation in the organization’s efforts to heighten awareness of the club’s purpose and promote the island as a tourism destination and its many tourism attractions, related facilities, and services. Skål is the only international organization that brings together all branches of the travel and tourism industry. "Skålleagues" meet at the local, national, and international level in a cordial and friendly environment to discuss subjects of common interest. The 73-year-old organization today has more than 25,000 members in over 500 Clubs in 80 countries. Flores, who has worked in tourism-related businesses for more than 25 years, was invited to be a Skål Club member last year. He immediately became active in the group’s activities and is now chairman of its Public Service Committee. "I can’t be a member of something without getting extremely involved. Otherwise I don’t join," he said. Flores promotes tourism as a basic human right and way of life. "Everyone is entitled to travel, to meet, and to discover new things," he said. Once a Skål member, the tourism enthusiast developed a public service campaign in partnership with other tourism organizations to raise awareness in Puerto Rico of the tourism industry’s importance to the economy. He was joined by several volunteers, among them graphic artist Andrés Quiñones, film producer and script writer Felipe Rivera, media assistant Myra Coll, and actor René Monclova, in creating the public service announcements titled Trancao, currently appearing in newspapers, magazines, television, and movie screens throughout the island. "We have also developed a program to help needy children as part of our commitment to the community," Flores told CARIBBEAN BUSINESS. This month, local Skål Club officers presented a check for $15,000 to Hogar Niñito Jesús. The donation comes from proceeds from special fundraising activities held by local Skäl members when José Campos of the Caribe Hilton Hotel was the club’s president. Skål Fundraising Committee members are José Campos, Lucrecia Rodríguez, Thomas Pauly, Omar Págan, Patrick Tracy, Willie Chin, and Joanne Ferguson. His recent achievements attest to his efforts to promote local tourism. In December 2003, Flores was asked to create publishing company Casiano Communications’ new tourism magazine Puerto Rico Travel & Tourism. Under his direction, the magazine quickly became a commercial success. By its fourth quarterly issue, in January 2005, it had reached a circulation of 95,000. The latest issue celebrates the publication’s first anniversary. Flores is also an active member of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau (PRCB). For the past three years, he has served on its Membership Advisory Committee and most recently on its Bylaws Committee. In 2002, he was named PRCB "Outstanding Member of the Year." In 2003, Flores was named Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association’s "Tourism Journalist of the Year." Skål Club membership is open to managers or executives directly involved in tourism management, sales, promotion, transportation, councils, hotels, and travel media. By attending local meetings, national and international congresses, and other events, members are able to meet industry "Skålleagues" from all over the world and, more importantly, are able to network with other members within the industry. This Caribbean Business article appears courtesy of Casiano Communications. or
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