Brian Jewell has been named CEO and executive editor of The Group Travel Leader Inc., effective January 1. Jewell is a longtime employee who has served as the company’s executive editor for the past 13 years and as vice president since 2020.
Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the company currently publishes three travel industry magazines and custom publications for clients; operates OnSite familiarization tours for destinations; produces the podcast “Gather & Go with Brian Jewell”; and creates extensive digital content for many travel industry audiences.
“Brian is the right person to assume the top management role in our company at this exciting time for its future,” said founder and partner Mac Lacy. “Brian is an accomplished journalist and editor, has a keen understanding of business principles and is one of the brightest minds in this industry. Brian’s ethics also deserve mention — our brands will continue to meet the ethical standards they’ve always met. We’re very fortunate to have him accept this position.”
“When I got my first opportunity as a travel writer at The Group Travel Leader in 2003, I thought it was too good to be true,” Jewell said. “Today, I’m as excited about tourism as I was then. Our industry has enormous growth potential, with new customers and new travel entrepreneurs discovering the benefits of group travel every day. We’re going to continue serving as the leading source of information and ideas for longtime professionals while also welcoming newcomers with great content in whatever format they love — in print, online, in podcasts and in person.
“Our team has also been hard at work creating new ways to help our tourism industry partners reach travel planners. If groups are an important part of your tourism sales strategy, we have options you’re going to love.”
Lacy will remain active in the company as an owner and will continue to serve as an advisor in various areas of its operations. He leaves full-time work after 35 years of managing the company’s overall growth since creating it with partner Charlie Presley in 1990.
