People

Partner Concepts LLC is a full-service travel-marketing firm. Headquartered just outside of Washington, D.C., we have representatives in Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Shanghai, Hanoi and Bangkok. We are a team of seasoned marketing professionals whose experience encompasses national tourism offices, international airlines, travel industry associations, financial services, and major media organizations. What we share is a passion for telling the stories of the world’s leading destinations, and a dedication to generating quantifiable results for those destinations.

Paul Cohen, President

As President of Partner Concepts, Paul has built a team of travel marketing specialists around the world; all specializing in developing custom integrated marketing programs to promote international destinations in the U.S. market. Prior to co-founding Partner Concepts, Paul headed up the hospitality and tourism account activity as vice president of Enten & Associates, a global advertising agency based in suburban Washington, D.C. There, he led a team of five senior account executives representing multiple destinations, hotel companies and international airlines. Prior to that, Paul served as the director of marketing for the American Hotel & Motel Association, where he gained valuable insights and experiences at the heart of the U.S. travel industry, working closely with senior executives from all of the leading American hotel companies, as well as developing strategic partnerships with corporations such as Visa International, MasterCard International, American Express, and Coca-Cola, among others.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York, College at Brockport, concentrating in hospitality and recreation services. He is often a guest speaker at the George Washington University Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management and was recently awarded the 2007 Tourism Industry Achievement award from Niagara University College of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Mr. Cohen recently served as the Vice Chairman of the Corporate Council on Africa Tourism Committee, where his team of industry leaders delivered policy recommendations to the Obama Administration covering travel and tourism.

John Riggin, Chief Operating Officer

John Riggin brings a track record of more than 20 years in marketing communications and business and strategy development to Partner Concepts. As Chief Operating Officer, John oversees account management and delivery as well as all online marketing activities. Prior to co-founding Partner Concepts with Paul in 2002, John founded J.K. Riggin & Associates, Incorporated, in 1997, leading a team of internet marketing strategists in deploying solutions in online advertising, email marketing, web site development and early content management systems. Prior to that, John served as Investor Relations Manager for DIGEX Incorporated, an internet service provider, working closely with investors to sell the company to new shareholders in its $50 million initial public offering in 1996, as well as to publicize and advertise the firm’s rapid growth across the United States. Prior to that, John was public relations manager for Maryland National Bank and NationsBank (now Bank of America), publicizing the bank in all capacities, managing special events, and contributing to the bank’s initial web site in 1995. John holds a Bachelors degree from Harvard University.

Tom Shepard, Chief Partnership Officer

Tom brings more than 20 years of success leading ground-breaking brand and marketing initiatives and delivering multi-million dollar revenue growth, through strong leadership coupled with strategy creation and execution. Prior to joining Partner Concepts, Tom was CEO of the Festival Network, where he led the growth of the company’s network to be recognized as the preeminent leader in the outdoor music festival business. Prior to that, Tom spent more than 10 years at Visa International as EVP of Visa International Global Merchant partnerships and Sponsorship, where he pioneered the business of partnership marketing across all industries, negotiating and leading some of the company’s most visible global sponsorships (including the Olympics and FIFA) and leveraging the Visa network via relationship management, advertising, marketing, promotions and PR. Prior to that, Tom served as EVP and Partner at Millsport, where he developed and managed event marketing programs for clients including Visa, American Airlines, Bank of America, Doubletree Hotels, and Apple.

Tom has received numerous awards over the years, including the 2008 Tourism Industry Leadership Award from the Niagara University College of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the 1998 International Partnership Marketer of the Year by SME International. In 2004, Sports Business Journal named Tom the 5th most influential in the Olympic movement. Tom is a guest lecturer at Stanford University and serves on the boards of the STEP Foundation (Sustainable Tourism for the Elimination of Poverty), Global Wines, SCA (Student Conservation Association), and the Conrad Foundation. Tom is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

 

Bill Maloney, Director of Travel Industry Relations

William A. "Bill" Maloney, CTC, who for more than a decade served as one of the travel industry's most visible leaders as chief executive officer of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) assists Partner Concepts clients to develop and implement their travel trade marketing strategies.

With more than 30 years of experience with travel agents, suppliers and national tourism organizations, Bill is a key figure in servicing Partner Concept’s existing accounts, training associates and helping us with new assignments and clients. Prior to ASTA, Maloney held senior executive positions with The Hertz Corporation, Woodside Group of Travel Agents, Allnet Communications and Hughes Airwest. He has served on the advisory boards of World Travel Mart and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. He has been a board member of U.S. Travel Association, Tourism Cares, NACTA, ASTA, ATME and The World Travel Agents Association Alliance.

Leslee Hall, Director of Client Services

Leslee Hall has over 25 years of experience as a marketing and sales strategist and consultant, business/partner development executive, and client relationship manager. Leslee’s business experience spans multiple industries and cultures, the past three years exclusively in the travel and tourism industry. Her areas of expertise include marketing strategy development and execution, channel/partner marketing, integrated marketing campaign development and execution, marketing communications, pr and client relationship management. Prior to joining Partner Concepts in early 2006, Leslee was a Senior Consultant and Account Director for USDM.net, a leading interactive agency serving the travel industry, where she managed a portfolio of domestic and international destination clients, including the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries - Visit America Alliance program, Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, Melbourne Australia CVB, and Southern Governor’s Association. Leslee has an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University and a BS, Management and Consumer Studies from the University of Maryland.