Travel Team Executives

Joseph DiFranco, Founder, President

After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 1957, Mr. Joseph DiFranco began a professional career in education that lasted 14 years. In 1964 he organized his first tour for his fellow teachers and students.

Building on that success, he soon found himself designing tours throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Europe. Finally, in 1969 an official career change took place and Corporate Travel Service was incorporated.

Sue Gheesling, Vice President

Sue Gheesling is company Vice President and has been with Corporate Travel since 1970. Her role in the office covers a wide spectrum and touches on virtually every department.

Currently, Sue heads up the educational student tour Operations Department and controls the production and facilitation of our major celebrity cruise programs.

David DiFranco, Sales Director Educational Tours

David is a CPA who after graduating from the University of Notre Dame began a career in financial consulting and auditing for Deloitte & Touche LLP. In 1998 he transferred to Corporate Travel and simultaneously obtained an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Currently David is the Director of Sales for the Educational Student Tour Department.

John Hale, Director European Group Travel

John Hale is the Director of European Group Travel. John is a graduate of the University of Michigan and an attorney who spent several years practicing law as a Clerk for the Michigan Supreme Court, for the law firm of Bodman, Longley, and Dahling, and in Ford Motor Company's Office of the General Counsel.

John began his career with Corporate Travel in 2000 and specializes in pilgrimages, choir performance tours, and professional interest tours.

Jeanine Bliss, Manager Cruise Department

Jeanine has accumulated over 21 years of experience in the travel industry since her first employment with AAA Travel in 1983.

Jeanine has developed an expertise in large group cruise operations and product development. In 2000, Jeanine transferred to Corporate Travel where she assumed the role of Cruise Department Manager.

Mark Slater, Manager European Operations

Mark, a business major from the University of Michigan, has been in group travel for nearly 30 years. His background includes extensive experience in the motor coach industry gained from the years he worked in his family motor coach charter business.

His many years in group travel has also equipped Mark with unique skill sets for product development and group operations for European travel.