Busines people : Iconic Adventures Brings On New Talent

Iconic Adventures, an outdoor adventure company that designs and executes active trips for companies and organizations, is thrilled to introduce Marisa Gierlich as its new Director of Operations. Gierlich will manage the company’s growing portfolio of trips and focus on expanding Iconic Adventure’s global client base.

“We are thrilled to have Marisa join our team here in Colorado, as she embodies everything we strive to be as a company,” said Iconic Adventures Founder Joe Solomon. “Marisa brings the perfect combination of strong industry experience, the finest attention to detail and a passion for creating unparalleled guest experiences to both new and existing clients.”

Marisa began her career in the travel industry in 1992 as a writer for The Berkeley Guides while attending UC Berkeley. Early travels through Croatia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic opened her eyes to the challenges of developing tourism in transitional, socio-political areas. As a founding member of the Ecumenical Coalition for Responsible Tourism, much of Marisa’s early work focused on identifying business and organizations that were committed to providing sustainable income in their communities. She went on to work for Lonely Planet as a first edition author for their North American and active travel guides. Over the course of her career there, Marisa covered multiple regions including France, Italy, Sweden, Montana, and California, as well as the cycling routes of the Pacific Coast and hiking trails of the Southwest.

To balance the lonely life of a travel writer, Marisa began leading trips for Backroads in 1996. By the time she lead her last trip in 2007, she had guided extensively in the Alps, managed the Hiring and Training program, and developed the Backroads Tour de France program. During this time, Marisa also took time to pursue another one of her passions: the world of food & beverage. Starting as a book tour manager for Sherry Yard, Marisa eventually became General Manager and opened STREET with Top Chef Master Susan Feniger in 2007.

“No matter if it’s a half-mile walk on a close-by but unfamiliar trail or a five-day bike trip across Africa, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing how travel can change a person’s perspective,” says Gierlich. As a native of Los Angeles, Marisa will split her time between the west coast and the Iconic Adventures headquarters in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

To learn more about Iconic Adventures, please visit www.IconicAdventures.com or contact Erin Brosterhous at erin@insideout-pr.com.

About Iconic Adventures
Iconic Adventures is a Steamboat Springs, CO based adventure travel company specializing in active corporate and group travel. Iconic works with its clients from the beginning to map out skillfully crafted itineraries that immerse their guests in the culture, history and natural wonders of their chosen destinations. Iconic trip leaders know and love the places where they travel, while their unscripted approach allows for spontaneity and discovery on all levels. The primary goals for any Iconic trip are to provide their guests with opportunities to embrace a destination, to gain an insider’s perspective on the area and to connect with people and cultures in new and unexpected ways. For more information about Iconic Adventures, please visit: www.IconicAdventures.com

By Erin Brosterhous