John Dowd (CEO)
| John Dowd | |
|---|---|
| Born |
December 11, 1966 Sunbury, Pennsylvania |
| Alma mater | Penn State University |
| Occupation | Executive |
| Spouse(s) | Tina Dowd |
| Website | Sundance Vacations |
John Dowd is an American-born executive. He is the CEO and co-founder of Sundance Vacations, a wholesale vacation company based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania,[1] and is also a very active member of the community, serving on the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce,[2] as the chair of the grants committee for the Luzerne Foundation and the Parent Advisor for the Youth Advisory Committee.[3] He also serves on the board of trustees for Wyoming Seminary.[4]
Dowd, with the help of his wife Tina, co-founded Sundance Vacations in 1991 after working in the Vacation industry.
Dowd purchased a new property and built the current headquarters of his business in 2007.[5]
Early life, education and career
Dowd was born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania[1] and attended Shikellamy High School.[3] Later, he received a Bachelor of Engineering from Penn State University.[1] Dowd also served as an Army Reservist with the United States Army Reserve.
His career with Sundance Vacations started in 1991 as a small marketing operation with just himself and his wife. The company has since grown to employ over 700 employees[3] and has offices in four states. Dowd began the permission marketing portion of Sundance Vacations in 2003.
Charitable endeavors
In 2013, Dowd, along with his wife Tina, donated $50,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.[6]
Awards
Dowd was named to the Glassdoor list of the Highest Rated CEOs for Small and Medium Businesses in North America on June 10, 2015.[7]
Dowd was honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, in 2014, as an Outstanding Philanthropist.[8]
Dowd, and his wife Tina, were recognized by U.S. Representative of Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district, Lou Barletta, and were awarded the Volunteers of America Spirit of Youth Award.[3]
Business critics
Dowd, and Sundance Vacations, were the subject of a series of articles in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The articles detailed Dowd's battle with an internet critic.[9]
References
- 1 2 3 "Executive Profile: John Dowd". Bloomberg Business. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce Board". Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 "Congressional Record". Government Publishing Office. United States Publishing Office. April 15, 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
- ↑ "Wyoming Seminary welcomes new Board of Trustees members". Wyoming Seminary News Release. September 3, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ↑ Detter, Shannon (November 14, 2007). "Detter Helps Sundance Vacations Find New Home". hinerfeldcommercial.com. Hinerfeld Commercial Real Estate. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ↑ Wellock, Bill (October 27, 2011). "Sundance Vacations owners donate $50,000 to food kitchen". Citizens' Voice. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ↑ Roberts, Daniel (June 10, 2015). "These are the top-rated small business CEOs". Fortune Magazine. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ↑ Baress, Joe (November 16, 2014). "Business Briefcase, November 16, 2014". The Times-Tribune. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ↑ Gelles, Jeff (October 16, 2014). "Travel company strikes back at its Internet critics". Philly.com. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 6, 2015.