Caribbean travel legend Bob Troni dead at 63

MIAMI, Florida – The travel industry, particularly the Caribbean, lost a great friend and a true legend.

MIAMI, Florida – The travel industry, particularly the Caribbean, lost a great friend and a true legend. Bob Troni, who spent 40 years in travel, including 35 years with American Airlines, passed away due to complications from a heart attack. He was 63.

โ€œBob was known as much for his generosity of insight and good cheer as he was for his innovative approach to problem solving and thinking outside the box in order to both move business for clients and to make everyone come out a winner,” said Steve Heydt, president of Elite Island Resorts, a longtime friend and business associate.

Bob had just accepted a position as Senior Vice President/Sales & Marketing at Travelsolutions.com. Since 2004, he headed the Troni Marketing Group, Inc., which provided consulting for airlines, hotels, tour operators, and tourism infrastructure throughout Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America.

In his 35 years with American Airlines, he started as a ticket agent at JFK in 1969 while attending the New York Institute of Technology at night. Bob worked his way up through various management positions including Manager-Caribbean Sales and retired in 2004 as Managing Director, International Sales & Marketing. In 2003, he was named Executive of the Year by the Caribbean Hotel Association.

Prior to joining American, he served as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 1965 -1968, including three tours in Vietnam in the heart of that war. He was the recipient of several meritorious commendations including the Purple Heart.

Bob, who was born in Queens, New York, is survived by his wife Barbara of 40 years, daughters Lisa (Walt) Trierwelier, Carrie (Butch) Butler, Amanda Troni (and fiancรฉe Paul Kuenzle), son Rob, Jr. (Crystal), and seven grandchildren (Patrick, Max, Jessica, Jack, Mackey, Aidan and Robert H. Troni III), as well as by his mother Rosemary Troni of Woodside, Queens, NY, and by his brother George and sister Barbara.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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