Professional, knowledgeable, and reliable: these were the words that unequivocally describe Larry Waterman.

“Larry was Giovanna Holbrook’s go-to person during the 1990s,” said Holbrook Travel’s Vice President Laurie McLaughlin. “No matter what the situation was, he always answered when he was called and could answer any question he was asked. For that reason, he was invaluable.”

Stepfather, grandfather, and accomplished travel industry veteran Larry Waterman passed away on May 31, 2013. A memorial was held on Friday, June 28th at 10 a.m. at the Miami International Airport conference center.

[caption id="attachment_6550" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Larry Waterman pictured with his wife Joan and granddaughter Lauren.[/caption]

Larry graduated magna cum laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He later obtained a Master of Business Administration from University of California at Los Angeles. Following graduation he spent time in the military and became a captain in the U.S. Air Force.

In 1960 he began his lifelong career in the travel industry with Pan American World Airways as a passenger and cargo sales representative. He left PanAm 21 years later as director of route development.

Larry continued his career in sales and marketing while working for LACSA Airlines and America Central Corp, both based in Miami, Florida. In 1997, Larry joined the Holbrook Travel team and worked as the director of air operations. During his tenure at Holbrook Travel, Larry was responsible for coordinating all air activities for the company and reorganizing the reservations department.

[caption id="attachment_6551" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Larry Waterman and wife Joan.[/caption]

After a distinguished career in the travel industry spanning 40 years, Larry briefly retired before becoming a customer service volunteer at Miami International Airport. He served as a volunteer for 10 years and dedicated over 5,000 hours at MIA. In 2009 he received the first annual Volunteer of the Year award.

Larry was also an active participant in several industry organizations including ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents), Travel Industry Association, and the Miami SKAL Club. He was a lifetime member of the Miami ASME chapter and served as president in 1990.

“Larry was a lovely and warm person — a veteran of our industry and someone that was always a gentleman in every sense of the word,” said Holbrook Travel’s President Andrea Holbrook. “I feel honored to have known him. A lover of Latin America and exploring the world, he and his wife Joan are a couple that stand out as people who know travel and love what we do. May he rest in peace.”