Jean beagan her career in 1987 after completing her education at Traveline School of Travel.  After working 1 year for a small, local agency, she found a position with the oldest travel company in the world, Thomas Cook Travel.  Through a series of mergers and aquisitions, Thomas Cook became American Express Travel.  During her years with AX, Jean worked as a front line leisure agent, a corporate agent, both on-site and in a reservation center, and taught at the American Express One Travel School.  In her various positions she experienced all aspects of the travel industry from simple 3 day packages to Las Vegas to more complicated "Around the World" fares.  When AMEX closed their doors in the Akron area, Jean thought that her career in travel was at it's end.  Wrong!...the travel business gets in your blood!  She took a job at the local newspaper, but found herself perusing the want ads for another travel position.  Soon she was interviewing with World Travel Management, an alliance that has proven to be a good "fit".  Jean works full-time as office manager for World Travel Management, a dedicated "host" agency, providing back office accounting and support to independent travel counselors around the United States.  In 2002, Jean began her own independent agency, Journeys.  Education has remained a priority for Jean, and she has received numerous "specialist designations".  She graduated from the Disney College of Knowledge, and is a Sandals Certified Specialist and an Aruba Certified Expert, a Commodore for both Princess and Cunard Cruise Lines, and has completed both Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines specialist courses. These are just a few of the many designations she is proud to display.  In 2004 Jean completed the highest level of education available through the Institute of Certified Travel Agents, her CTC, Certified Travel Counselor.  She is now completing the Cruise Lines International Association certification of Accredited Cruise Counselor.  The best education any travel agent can have, though, is experience.  Jean has been fortunate to have traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii.  She also spent 16 days in South Africa as part of an elite group from Thomas Cook Travel.  She broadened her travel into the South Pacific with a trips to Tahiti and Hawaii and is working to become a South Pacific specialist.  Through the years, she has taken more than 20 different cruises. Jean is dedicated to the travel industry.  She has seen it change through the years, and feels that the "home-based", independent agent is the future of the industry.  She is proud to be a part of that, and is excited to see what changes tomorrow brings.

Jim & Darla Hopkins

Journeys is pleased to introduce Jim & Darla as the newest members of our agency.  They will be specializing in escorting groups for the "young at heart" but over 55 traveler!  Although not formally trained in the travel industry, both have traveled extensively with an emphasis on cruise vacations.  We are sure this will be an exciting new addition to our agency and look forward to many great trips.