About Us
Executive Management
Larry Gelwix
CEO
The "Getaway Guru" Radio & TV Host
Larry is probably best known as the “Getaway Guru” and host of the “Travel Show” radio broadcast on several radio stations. The weekly two-hour radio show highlights the best travels deals, lowest airline and cruise fares, and takes call-in questions from listeners. He also provides a travel segment that is broadcast on several TV stations. A popular convention, meeting, and motivational speaker, Larry has addressed groups all across the country and overseas on the dynamics of the travel industry, including his popular seminar, “Insider Travel Secrets: What the Airlines, Cruise Lines, and Hotels Don’t Want You to Know!” Recent appearances include the Utah Dental Association, Utah Trucking Association, London Tourism Board, Senator Hatch’s “Seniors Conference”, the United Way, and numerous other professional, community, educational, and civic organizations.
Airline CEO
Larry’s professional travel career includes CEO of an airline, member of car rental, airline, and cruise line national advisory boards, co-owner and Executive Vice President of Morris Travel, and published travel writer of books and travel related articles, including articles that have appeared in national publications, such as AARP’s "The Magazine," with the world’s largest magazine subscription.
- "Larry Gelwix is the King of Low Fares!" (Heartland Radio Network, Washington, D.C.)
- Endorsing one of Larry’s travel books, "Insider Secrets," "If you buy just one travel book, this is it!" (The Herald, New Britain, CT)
- "The most concise, understandable, and 'right on’ travel book ever written." (Talk America Radio Network, Boston, MA)
Larry graduated from Brigham Young University with a Masters Degree in Organizational Communications. Larry and his wife Cathy have five children and reside in Salt Lake City.
Mark Faldmo
President
Nationally Recognized Travel Expert
Mark Faldmo's travel career started on his sixth birthday as he and his family sailed from San Francisco to Hawaii where they were relocating in conjunction with his father's employment. While there, his parents fell in love with Hawaii and after returning to Utah they started taking groups of friends back. Their tours featured Hawaii’s people, culture and romantic beauty. The tours became so popular that they started Faldmo Tours and Travel offering tours worldwide.
Mark graduated from Utah State University with a business degree in 1975 and joined his parents. Mark assisted with the tours and also built the travel agency by selling commercial travel services to business travelers and individual vacation travel as well.
He purchased the agency from his parents and in 1983 through merger and acquisition formed and became president of a $30 million dollar agency that marketed as a franchise of Ask Mr. Foster Travel. Another opportunity came in 1985 when this agency merged with Morris Travel. The two companies formed an agency that became one of the top 25 agencies in the US. Mark was the Chief Operating Officer of the company, which grew to over $150 million in annual sales with over 400 employees and offices in several states.
Chairman of National Travel Council
During this time he served a three-year term as Chairman of Carlson Travel Network's National advisory board (formerly Ask Mr. Foster), on the national advisory board of Walt Disney Travel and as president of his local chamber of commerce.
After selling Morris Travel in 1995 Mark and his partner Larry Gelwix combined their talents in several travel related ventures, including the organization of Columbus Travel in 2001, specializing in individual and family travel, incentive and group travel, and marketing discounted travel packages. Mark and his wife Beverly have four children and reside in Farmington, Utah.
Randy Hunt
Vice President-Sales & Service
Leading Travel Industry Strategic Development Consultant
Randy Hunt brings 30 years experience in several functional areas of business. He has held management and ownership positions in both public and private companies, with primary focus in business development, strategic alliances, sales and marketing, strategic planning, exit and succession strategies, and leadership/management development. Randy received his BS degree with honors from Utah State University.
He served in sales and marketing management positions with three airlines, two large travel agencies, a Meeting and Incentive Company, a leadership and management development firm, an insurance company, a resort and hospitality group, a risk assessment and solutions firm, and a recognition products company.
Co-Founder of Morris Air
Randy was a co-founder and co-owner of the successful airline Morris Air, which was sold to Southwest Airlines. As an owner and executive officer overseeing corporate and incentive clients, he also assisted Utah based - Morris Travel and Morris Meetings & Incentives in growing from $13 million to over $150 million in sales.
Randy has been involved in consulting through many industries, with emphasis in strategic planning, risk assessment, exit and succession planning, channel development, incentives and recognition programs, and M&A rollups. Two of his most notable recent achievements were his assistance in the initial growth strategies and funding for the successful online retailer – Overstock.com, and the nationally recognized Red Mountain Spa in southern Utah.
His current duties at Columbus Travel include the sales and service oversight of its successful group and incentive division
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