Vice President for Academic Affairs Katrina Carter–Tellison took command of the podium in front of a broad crowd of students, faculty and professionals on Wednesday evening to set the stage for the latest C-Suite Speaker Series event. Andres Barry, president of JetBlue Travel Products, was greeted on stage by Moderator, hospitality veteran, and advisor to Lynn Bruce Himelstein to spark meaningful conversations that addressed brand extension, business plan development, overcoming global challenges, recruitment strategies and the importance of team collaboration.
Barry and his team of 350 employees have the monumental task of leading the growth of the JetBlue Vacations brand and non-air travel products, including cruises, travel insurance, car rentals, and more, to extend the airline's influence and enhance customer experience. When JetBlue hired him in 2018, he discussed how brand extension became a business necessity to stay competitive. Thanks to a carefully plotted business plan at the beginning of his tenure, Barry and his team overcame staff shortages and travel challenges presented by COVID-19, implemented new product development, aggressively invested in marketing opportunities when the timing was right, and patiently stayed the course to grow revenue by almost a billion dollars since his arrival.
During the middle of the discussions, Himelstein explored the dynamic between a collaborative and individualistic work environment. Barry quickly championed team collaboration above anything else, "I understand there will always be an element of internal competition within a business to excel and stand out amongst peers," said Barry. "But I always remind our team that the true competition is outside our building. Trust the team."
As a leader, Barry delved into the qualities he is enticed by as a talent recruiter. "Experience matters, but skill is not everything," he said. "Character is more important. I look for team-driven talent that understands that their work matters. Those are the individuals that are going to give their heart and soul to help us develop a better customer experience."
During the Q&A portion of the event, Barry addressed various questions from students and expanded on the value of building honest relationships with co-workers and best practices for students. "Learning starts when you begin your career," said Barry. "Be the one that takes on the extra work; it will have a compound effect on building your knowledge base. The rest will take care of itself."
As the conversations concluded, Himelstein took one good look at the audience and delivered a resounding message: "Tonight you have experienced what a customer-centric organization looks like. If you model your business this way … it's tough to lose."
Barry graduated from Northwestern University, where he earned his undergraduate degree, and Emory University, where he attained his MBA.
C-Suite Speaker Series recap: Andres Barry
