Christine Dodds Bruce, CMP, President/Owner (email)

A certified meeting planner, Christy first joined Dodds in 1985 overseeing group operations and managing football and NCAA tours. Since 1993, Christy has worked on-site overseeing the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, Capital One, and Holiday bowls (to name a few). In addition, she has managed NCAA Regional and Final Four tours for a variety of Universities throughout the country. Christy oversees all operations of the business.

Kenneth K. Bruce, Executive Vice President/Owner (email)

Ken started with Dodds in 1993 where his expertise in sales and marketing has been a tremendous asset to Dodds. His post-season, on-site experience includes the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Outback Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Sun Bowl and the Gator Bowl. In basketball, he has run NCAA Regional and Final Four programs since 1995. Ken oversees all promotion and marketing of your athletic program.

Donald C. Dodds, Jr., Chairman, Retired

Donald has been involved in Bowl tours since Illinois went to the Rose Bowl in 1963 and has become THE leading innovator in the athletic travel business. Since 1993, Donald has been dedicated to the air operation of Dodds Athletic Tours.

Travel Hosts

Experienced Dodds Athletic Tours travel hosts will be on hand throughout the program. Our professional travel hosts will staff hotel hospitality desks and accompany each motor coach for all ground transfer moves (i.e., optional tours, game day, etc.)

Jonathan Beckhart Group Program Manager (email)

Jonathan, the newest member to our staff, is a recent graduate of the University of Illinois where he studied Recreation, Sport, and Tourism. He was thrilled to assist with his alma mater’s 2008 trip to the Rose Bowl, as well as Ohio State’s trip to the BCS National Championship in New Orleans. Prior to joining Dodds, Jonathan was an administrative intern with a semi-professional baseball team in Northern California.

Dawn Black Group Program Manager (email)

Dawn has been with Doddson Travel Agency Inc./Dodds Athletic Tours since 1999. She has worked with several Universities on football and basketball weekends to many destinations all over the country. Dawn has also managed the University of Oklahoma to the 2004/2005 Fed Ex Orange Bowl National Championship game in Miami, Florida, and in 2005/2006 to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, California and then in 2006/2007 the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona..

Susan Estergard Group Program Manager (email)

Susan has been in the travel industry since 1979. She has been with Doddson Travel Agency Inc./Dodds Athletic Tours since 1983 and manages athletic tours, including football weekends, pre-season basketball tournaments, and Bowl and NCAA Basketball Tournament tours. In 2006/2007, Susan managed Wisconsin to the Capital One Bowl and worked with Ohio State’s Final Four tour. Current programs include a Wisconsin–UNLV football weekend in Las Vegas, a Florida State University football weekend in Jacksonville and an FSU Seminole Booster cruise for 2008 in the Mediterranean.

Kris Harrington Tour & Cruise Specialist (email)

Kris’ background includes a BA from Michigan State University majoring in Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management with a focus on Travel & Tourism, and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, she worked in corporate travel and meeting planning for McCord Travel in Chicago. She came to Doddson/Dodds in 1988 and coordinated group programs until 1991. After taking a break to be with her children, Kris was excited to return to Doddson in 1995. Her extensive travel background enables Kris to provide an exceptional level of service to Doddson’s clientele. She has had the opportunity to visit 48 of our 50 states, live in Mexico, and travel throughout Europe, the South Pacific, and Caribbean.

Cheri Jacobs Travel Agency Supervisor (email)

A native of Champaign Cheri began her career in travel in 1965 working for Airlines in Kansas City, Chicago, Tulsa, and back to Chicago. After deciding not to spend another winter in Chicago, she came home and helped a friend at a travel agency where she remained for 6 years, leaving for Doddson in 1972. Cheri has traveled the USA including Alaska and Hawaii. Canada, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, and the far east can also be listed in her travelog. Her travel experiences include pony trekking as well as the normal modes of transportation. Cheri has completed many travel related courses over the years from international ticketing to Disney’s College of Knowledge. Whether you need to set up a specialized tour with limos and hotels, or a family cruise or just air tickets, she can take care of it.

KJ Lamoreux Accountant (email)

KJ received her Associate degree in Accounting from Parkland Community College in Champaign, IL. She then graduated from Illinois State University in Normal, IL where she received her Bachelor degree in Finance with a minor in Insurance. After working for a short time in the insurance industry, KJ pursued a career in accounting. She joined the accounting office of Dodds Athletic Tours/Doddson Travel in June of 2002.

Becky Lewis Group Program Manager (email)

After working in the retail industry she pursued her lifetime interest in the travel industry. She joined Dodds Athletic Tours in 2000. Since then, she has been instrumental in managing numerous bowl tours, football weekends and pre-season basketball tournaments. While in the office, she plans for upcoming athletic tours, researches future tours, prepares proposals for various events, and makes calls to existing and new clients. She has traveled extensively including Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Jamaica, Bahamas and most of the 50 states.

Marlo Priest, CMP, Group Program Manager (email)

Marlo joined Dodds Athletic Tours in 1994. Since then, she has been instrumental in managing many bowl tours including the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Sun Bowl, Gator Bowl, and Liberty Bowl. As well as, NCAA Tournament Tours for Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Minnesota, Stanford, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Kansas, and UCLA. Marlo has also coordinated numerous football weekends and pre-season basketball tournaments. While in the office, she plans for upcoming athletic tours, researches future tours, prepares proposals for various events, and makes calls to existing and new clients.

Gary Schroeder Group Program Supervisor (email)

Gary brings to Dodds Athletic Tours, invaluable experience working in the airline industry for 10 years with TWA and US Airways. He began with Dodds Athletic Tours in 1989 as an agent, and is now a Program Manager in our group department. Gary managed the 2003 National Championship Fiesta Bowl for Ohio State and has managed Kansas State Bowls for several years. He has managed/coordinated the Sugar  Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Holiday Bowl, and Insight.com Bowl and NCAA basketball tournament tours for Kansas, Stanford, Louisville, Minnesota, North Carolina and Michigan State to name a few. He has also managed several pre and post season basketball tournaments in Alaska, Maui, Las Vegas, Anaheim and the US Virgin Islands. Upcoming 2005 fall football weekends include, Illinois at Berkeley, Iowa State at Army, and Wisconsin in the Paradise Jam St. Thomas. 

Lisa Slade Controller (email)

Lisa has been with Doddson Travel Agency, Inc. since 1985. She joined Doddson as an Assistant Controller and within two years became the Controller of the company. Lisa has completed courses in Travel, Computers, Accounting and Employee Relations. Lisa has traveled a great deal throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Switzerland, Ireland, Great Britain, and always looks forward to her next adventure. Besides number crunching, Lisa helps with a variety of Athletic Tour duties, such as: seeing off charters, answering the telephone, faxing, emailing, processing applications, and personalized customer service.