Jill Chitwood selected as
                                                                              Top Travel Consultant of the Year

                                                                              by IAOTP

                                                                                                                Jill Chitwood, co-owner of Sights Unseen Travel                                                                                                                              Agency, was recently selected as Top Travel                                                                                                                                    Consultant of the Year for 2024 by the International
                                                                                                                Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for her
                                                                                                                outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to
                                                                                                                the industry.  Inclusion with the International Association
                                                                                                                of Top Professionals is an honor in itself; only a few
                                                                                                                members in each discipline are chosen for this
                                                                                                                distinction. These special honorees are distinguished
                                                                                                                based on their professional accomplishments, academic
                                                                                                                achievements, leadership abilities, longevity in the field, 
                                                                                                                other  affiliations, and contributions to their
                                                                                                                communities. All Honorees are invited to attend the
                                                                                                                IAOTP annual award gala at the end of this year for a
                                                                                                                night to honor their achievements. 
                                                                                                                               ww.iaotp.com/award-gala

                                                                                                               With more than a decade and a half of experience in the
                                                                                                               industry, Ms. Chitwood has certainly proven herself as an
                                                                                                               expert in her field. As a dynamic, results driven leader,
Ms. Chitwood is a travel consultant and co-owner with her husband, Wayne, of Sights Unseen Travel Agency, a Cruise Brothers affiliate. Among her numerous duties, Ms. Chitwood is responsible for organizing and planning all-inclusive trips and cruises, booking rental cars, hotels, personalized trips, travel insurance, villas, rental cabins and homes, as well as group packages.

Before embarking on her career path, Ms. Chitwood earned an Associate’s degree in Business Administration and Management at Marion Technical College in 1982. She began her career as an advisor and an independent associate at Mannatech  Incorporated from 2004 to 2007. From 2006 to 2010, she was an Office Manager and Director of Game Day Operations for the Marion Mayhem Professional Indoor Arena Football Team. In addition, Ms. Chitwood served as the Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the United Indoor Football League with the Northern Kentucky River Monsters
Professional Indoor Arena Football Team from 2011 and 2014. For three of those years, Ms. Chitwood and her husband were league representatives with the Continental Indoor Football League. She was also a Marketing Executive and Operations Director for community and game day events with the Marion Blue Racers Pro Indoor Football Team
from 2015 to 2016.

Throughout her illustrious career, Ms. Chitwood has received many awards and accolades and has been recognized worldwide for her accomplishments. She rightfully earned a nomination for the Torch Award for Ethics from the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio and the award for Best Travel Agency in Marion County in 2022 and 2023. In addition, she was recognized by Who’s Who of Professional Women. This year she will be considered for the Empowered Woman Award and to be featured in TIP (Top Industry Professionals) Magazine. She will be honored at IAOTP annual awards gala at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville this December for her selection as Top Travel Consultant of the Year.

In addition to her successful career, Ms. Chitwood and her husband were involved in rebuilding two youth baseball fields in their school district and collected and donated additional funds for this worthy cause. From this project, Ms. Chitwood was nominated and elected to the Marion County chapter of the American Red Cross, which honored her with the Clara Barton Spectrum Award for Women for Humanitarian Service in 1999, something she describes as one of the most memorable moments of her career. A humanitarian and civic-minded individual, she has also dedicated two years to serving as president of the Marion Business Builders chapter of the Business Network International.

In 2022, Ms. Chitwood established the Marion K9 Project, a soon to be registered 501c3 non-profit organization, is a cornhole, car show and family fun day for the community that raises funds for K9 organizations in her town. In 2022, they raised over $42,500 for a new K9 officer with the Marion Police Department and helped to fund the K9 unit of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The 2023 event raised $8,500 for the Marion Humane Society and the 2024 event will be for the Marion K9 Memorial, which honors all the K9s that had severed the Marion County area. As a result of the work, Ms. Chitwood was honored with the Citizen Mpact Award from the Marion Police Department for her service throughout 2022. She was also awarded the title of “Miami Adviser Ambassador” by Travel Weekly and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The President of the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), Stephanie Cirami, stated: "Choosing Jill Chitwood for this honor was an easy decision for our panel to make. She is inspirational, influential, and a true visionary and thought leader. We cannot wait to meet her and celebrate her accomplishments at this years gala".

Looking back, Ms. Chitwood attributes her success to her perseverance, work ethic, and the mentors she has had along the way. When not working, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. In the future, she hopes to inspire and influence those getting into the field.

For more information please visit: https://www.sightsunseentravel.com/
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