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"Welcome
and thank you for taking the time to learn more about who we are
and what we do.
In
business since 1956, Montrose Travel is now firmly established as
one of the TOP
50 Travel Management Companies in the United
States. Built on one single premise - personal service - our mission,
"Helping people travel. One at a time." © and our customer
service program, "Yes We Can!", are much more than slogans
to all of us at Montrose Travel. They are ways of life; attitudes.
We currently
manage travel programs for over 400 corporations and over seven
million Employee Club, Credit Union and Association members use
our Credit Card Loyalty and Discount Vacation Programs. Profitable since inception, and never having any debt on
our balance sheet, Montrose Travel has been built through reinvestment
of profit and positive cash flow.
We welcome you
to our company, and to our family, with the sincere hope that you
give us the chance to earn your confidence, your business, and your
friendship. May your travels
always be happy."

"Helping
people travel. One at a time." ©
"Yes We Can!"
In business
since 1956, we will be here tomorrow to back up our promises of
today.
After building
their disposable hospital supply business, Disposable Research Industries
(DRI), into an industry leader, Joe McClure Sr. and his beautiful
wife Leora retired in February of 1972. Quickly growing tired of retirement, they purchased the local
Montrose Travel Agency six months later. Together, they grew the little business by cultivating personal
relationships through superior customer service and offering quality
products at fair prices.
By 1989, Montrose
Travel had 14 employees and was selling nearly $6 million dollars
of travel annually with a customer base that had extended from their
local neighborhood to serving all of Southern California. International tours, discounted cruises and Hawaii packages
were the mainstay of the product line.
In 1990 Joe McClure
III (MBA), his wife Julie (CPA), and his sister
Andi (MBA) purchased Montrose Travel. By August of 1991, the roof had been taken off of the headquarters
location at 2343 Honolulu Avenue and a second floor was added to
accommodate rapid growth. The staff, our Associates, grew steadily
throughout the recession of the early 90's and the Gulf War. Our product line expanded with the addition of exclusive
discounted vacation packages and airfares. Our customer base became worldwide.
In July of 1994,
the company was out of room again. We purchased our second building at 2355 Honolulu Avenue
and moved our Commercial / Business Travel Division.
In 1996 we started
AIR4LESS (which later became AIR4LESS.com) and purchased
our wholesale company, Sportours from Sport Chalet.
Out of room again,
we purchased our third building at 2335 Honolulu Avenue, which now
houses our Accounting Department and a number of our Independent
Contractors.
Throughout the
1990's, we focused on growing our Independent Contractor network
that now includes more than 50 companies and individuals. In 1998,
we further expanded our Independent Contractor reach by opening
La Canada Flintridge Travel, which now operates as a branch office
in La Canada, California.
Also in 1998 our
Leisure / Vacation Division addressed the niche market of Honeymoons
/ Anniversaries / Romantic Getaways and organized staff to specialize
in the needs of these types of vacations.
Out of room once
again, we closed escrow on our fourth building at 2349 Honolulu
Avenue in November, 1999, and added an additional 14,000 feet with
which to grow.
In January, 2001
Montrose Travel's Honeymoon Department was split from our Leisure
Division and became its own, and our fifth, operating division within
the company.
In January of
2003, we further split out our Air / Car / Hotel group that primarily
handles credit card loyalty programs from our Leisure Division and
created our sixth operating division.
Proudly funding
growth solely out of profits and positive cash flow, Montrose Travel
has never had any debt on its balance sheet and continues to remain
one of the financially healthiest Travel Management Companies in
the United States.
Now, firmly established
as one of the Top 50 Travel Management Companies nationwide, we completed 2004 with over $100
million in gross sales. We
have come a long way since 1990 and now have six operating divisions
(Business Travel, Vacation Travel, Honeymoon / Anniversary / Romantic
Getaway Travel, Group / Meeting / Incentive Travel, Air / Car /
Hotel and Independent Contractor Network) housed in nearly 40,000
square feet of four self-owned buildings.
We are extremely
proud of our growth and our continued commitment to our customer
base. Clearly, as pinpointed in our mission statement, "Helping
people travel. One at a time." ©, our top priority is
to provide quality service and unsurpassed value.
In this dynamic
industry, Montrose Travel is a respected leader in all aspects of
travel management. On the leading edge of rapidly evolving technology,
we possess the capacity, experience, caring and proven capability
to provide you with a total travel management program for handling
all aspects of travel on a national and international basis.
Although 2001,
2002 and 2003 were very trying years for the travel industry in
general with the industry declining 11% and airlines losing billions
of dollars, Montrose Travel was one of the few travel companies
in the United States that was able to buck the trend and posted
11% compounded growth, a feat of which we are quite proud and happened
to earn us nationwide recognition as a travel industry trendsetter.
We eagerly look
forward to the challenges 2005 will bring - for one thing is certain,
September 11, 2001 ensured that the travel industry will never be
the same as it was prior to the Attack on America. But regardless of what future challenges the travel industry
may face, you can always count on Montrose Travel to be here
tomorrow to back up our promises of today.
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