Ultimate Escapes Destination Club
Holiday Access

The fusion of Ultimate Resort and Private Escapes, two of the longest tenured destination clubs in the sector, Ultimate Escapes executive team features an experienced collection of industry leaders and pioneers.

The combination of the two clubs brought two very different growth structures to the world's second largest destination club.

Private Escapes officially introduced in April of 2004 as the "first and only affordable travel destination club." The former Chief Operating Officer at Private Retreats, Richard Keith, Ed Powers, and Kären Siwek would launch the club in December of 2003. Less than a year after their launch, Private Escapes Platinum would be introduced. The new club would allow members the ability to enjoy a portion of the real estate's appreciation in the form of club credits to offset annual dues and nightly fees. Almost exactly two years following the Platinum launch, the club would introduce their highest club level, Private Escapes Pinnacle. Each club would have their own real estate portfolio, a model that would be adopted by Ultimate Escapes.

Ultimate Resort would pursue a similar audience when they made their introduction to the destination club sector on Valentine's Day in 2005. Branded as "the most affordable luxury destination club on Earth," Ultimate Resort was led by Jim Tousignant. The upstart club would quickly sell out of their Charter Memberships before an industry titan, Tanner & Haley Destination Club would file for bankruptcy. The club's 874 members quickly became a hot commodity for several clubs, including the luxury club Ciel and Private Escapes, as Keith worked several of the club members when the club was known as Private Retreats. Ultimate Resort would make the opening salvo with a $98 million bid for the club assets. As the bid was approved, Ciel would come over the top with a $108 million bid. Ultimate Resort would increase their bid to $100 million with Ciel increasing their maximum offer to $112 million. Judge Alan H.W. Swiff continued to support the Ultimate Resort bid as the best offer for the club. Roughly 650 members of Tanner & Haley would accept an offer to join Ultimate Resort, who went from a brash upstart to industry powerhouse virtually overnight. Ultimate Resort would acquire the assets of Ventures Equity Vacation Club.

This combination of organic growth coupled with mergers and acquisitions has firmly established Ultimate Escapes as the second largest destination club in the world.

The executives behind the club include:

Jim Tousignant
President and Chief Executive Officer

Richard Keith
Chairman

Philip Callaghan
Chief Financial Officer

Ed Powers
Senior Vice President, Operations

Steve Healy
Senior Vice President, Sales

Gregg Amonette
Senior Vice President, Business Development

Tom D'Ambrosio
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Technology

Robin Spindel
Vice President, Marketing