BNET Industries

Market Cap:$235.8M
Last Fiscal Year Sales:$97.9M
  • Public
  • US
Dow Jones Description

Ambassadors Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EPAX) is a socially conscious, education company located in Spokane, Washington. Ambassadors Group is the parent company of People to People Ambassador Programs, new subsidiary World Adventures Unlimited, Inc., and BookRags, an educational research website. The company also oversees the Washington School of World Studies, an accredited travel study and distance learning school.

Director, Chief Executive Officer and President
Jeffrey D. Thomas
Number of Employees 267
Contact Information

2001 S Flint Rd

Spokane, Washington 99224

ambassadorsgrou...

(509) 568-7800

NAICS Code All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services: 561599

Recent Events

  • Ambassadors Group EPAX Reports Q3 EPS of $0.64, Beats by 7c

    10/21/09 - Financial Announcement - View Story

  • Ambassadors Group Declares Quarterly Dividend

    8/13/09 - Stock Split / Dividend - View Story

  • People to People Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit

    6/23/09 - Lawsuit Filed - View Story

News & Analysis

ambassadors group inc. - All News and Analysis

Decision Makers

Name (plus bio) Position
Jeffrey D. Thomas Director, Chief Executive Officer and President
Chadwick J. Byrd CFO & Secretary
Margaret M. Thomas Executive Vice President
Meredith Banka Vice President, Marketing
Julie Strugar Director, IR
Marni Drew Director, Marketing
Brigitte M. Bren Director
Joseph J. Ueberroth Director
Rafer L. Johnson Director
Richard D.C. Whilden Director

Board of Directors

Name (plus bio) Position
Daniel G. Byrne Chairman
John A. Ueberroth Chairman
James M. Kalustian Board of Directors
John C. Spence Board of Directors
Ricardo L. Valencia Board of Directors
Ricardo Lopez Board of Directors

Jeffrey D. Thomas has served as chief executive officer, president and director of the Company since November 2001. He served as president of Ambassador Programs, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, from August 1996 through July 2002, and has served as chief executive officer since January 2000. For Ambassadors International, Inc., he served as a director from August 2001 through February 2002 and as chief financial officer between January 1996 and February 2002. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Thomas held a variety of strategy and business development positions with Adia Personnel Services (now Adecco), Contrarian Group, Inc., and Corporate Decisions, Inc. Mr. Thomas currently serves on the board of directors of Inland Northwest Council for Boy Scouts of America and Scientific Learning. He also serves on the board of trustees of Greater Spokane Incorporated.

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Director, Chief Executive Officer and President Current
Greater Spokane Incorporated Board of Directors Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Connect Northwest Web President and Chief Executive Officer of Ambassadors Group, Inc. Former
The London School of Economics Former

Chadwick J. Byrd, age 37, has served as chief financial officer and secretary of the Company since July 2005. Mr. Byrd served as chief group controller of Fred Olsen Energy ASA (“Fred Olsen”) in Oslo, Norway beginning in 2004. He also served as corporate controller and financial controller of Fred Olsen between 1999 and 2003. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Fred Olsen provides international exploration and production services to the offshore oil and gas industry. Before joining Fred Olsen, Mr. Byrd was in public accounting employed by KPMG between 1995 and 1999.

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. CFO & Secretary Current

Margaret M. Thomas, age 42, has served as executive vice president of the Company since November 2001. She served as chief financial officer and secretary of the Company from November 2001 through October 2003. She has also served as president of Ambassador Programs, Inc., since August 2002, chief operating officer of Ambassador Programs, Inc., since January 2002, and chief financial officer of Ambassador Programs, Inc., from November 1997 through April 2003. Mrs. Thomas served as treasurer of Ambassadors International, Inc., from February 1999 through February 2002. From 1988 to 1995, Mrs. Thomas was in public accounting and employed by Ernst & Young LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and also was the financial reporting officer for Physio-Control Corporation.

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Executive Vice President Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Board of Directors Current

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Vice President, Marketing Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Director, Marketing Former

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Director, IR Current

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Director, Marketing Current

Daniel G. Byrne has served as a director of the Company since May 2005. Since 1983, Mr. Byrne has served as executive vice president finance, chief financial officer and assistant secretary of Sterling Financial Corporation. He is also the assistant secretary and treasurer of INTERVEST Mortgage Investment Company and Action Mortgage Company, and the secretary and treasurer of Harbor Financial. Before joining Sterling, Mr. Byrne was employed by the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand in Spokane, Washington. He is a past lieutenant governor of Kiwanis International. Mr. Byrne is a past member of the Board of Trustees, its Executive Committee and the Finance Committee for Gonzaga Preparatory School. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Spokane Community Mental Health. He serves as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Financial Manager's Society and the American Community Bankers Association and its Accounting Committee. Mr. Byrne is a certified public accountant and graduated from Gonzaga University in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in Accounting.

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Chairman Current
Kiwanis International Former
Gonzaga University Bachelor's Degree In Accounting Former

John A. Ueberroth is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Preferred Hotel Group. As such, Ueberroth oversees the expansion of Preferred Hotel Group and its family of brands into existing and developing markets worldwide. Ueberroth has more than 30 years of executive-level experience in the travel industry, ranging from global travel agencies to airline and travel service companies, as well as major industry associations. Ueberroth began his career in the travel industry in 1967 when he joined his brother, Peter, at Transportation Consultants International (TCI), which became the world's largest travel representation company, representing hotels and airlines, among other businesses. Subsequently, TCI bought Ask Mr. Foster travel agency where Ueberroth served as President from 1971-80, growing the business from 29 offices to over 1000. In 1980, TCI was sold to the Carlson Companies. Ueberroth served as President of Carlson Travel Group from 1980 - 1989. From 1990 - 93, he served as Chairman and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. In addition to Preferred Hotel Group, Ueberroth is Chairman of the Board at Ambassadors Group, Inc, an education travel company. Ueberroth serves on the board of directors of Navigant International, Inc., the second-largest travel management business service provider in North America. He has also served as chairman of the Travel Industry Association of America and the US Tour Operators Association and remains actively involved with both organizations.

Organization Position Status
Preferred Hotel Group Chairman of the Board and CEO Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Chairman Current
Enwisen, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Navigant International, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Terranova Partners L.P. Board of Directors Current
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. Chairman and CEO Former
Carlson Travel Group, Inc President Former

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors International, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Burnham Institute for Medical Research Director Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Director Current

Organization Position Status
Fair Isaac Corporation Vice President, Icn Leader, Healthcare, Pharma and Government Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Mercer Management Consulting, Inc. Manager Former
W.R. Grace & Company Former
Canada Dry Former
Raytheon Company Former
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University M.B.A. Former
Harvard University A.B. Former

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Board of Directors Current

Over the last decade Joe Ueberroth has specialized in the operations and finance of businesses in the leisure industry. In addition to creating the vision and driving the development of BellPort, he has been directly involved in creating operational and financial systems that uniquely positions the company in the marina industry. Some of his other involvements include the acquisition of the Pebble Beach Company, the initial funding of GetThere.Com, the IPO of Ambassadors International, the acquisition of Sato Travel, and the turnaround of PGI, a national production and events company. He is currently President and CEO of Ambassadors International and serves on the following public and private company Boards of Directors: Ambassadors Group, Ambassadors International, BellPort Group, BellPort Japan , Enwisen, International Greenhouse Products, and Milepoint.

Organization Position Status
Lido Yacht Anchorage Chairman Current
Milepoint, Inc. Director Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Director Current
Ambassadors International, Inc. President & Chief Executive Officer Former
Doubletree Hotels Former
Doubletree-Hotels.Com Former
Sedgwick Former
Scheduled Airlines Traffic Offices, Inc. Former
Open Software Foundation Former
Ambassadors International, Inc. Chairman Former
Ambassadors International, Inc. Board of Directors Former
Bellport Group, Inc Chairman Current
Enwisen, Inc. Director Current

Rafer L. Johnson has served as a director of the Company since November 2001 and as a director of Ambassadors International, Inc. since 1995. Mr. Johnson is a world and Olympic record holder in the decathlon. Mr. Johnson devotes a substantial amount of his time to mentally and physically handicapped children and adults. He has been associated with California Special Olympics since its inception in 1969, served as the president of its board of directors for 11 years, and currently is chairman of its board of governors. He has been appointed to national and international foundations and presidential commissions, with a concentration on youth development. Mr. Johnson also is national head coach for Special Olympics International and a member of its board of directors. In addition, Mr. Johnson serves on a variety of special boards and committees in the worlds of sports and community services.

Organization Position Status
California Special Olympics President Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Director Current
Ambassadors International, Inc. Board of Directors Current

Ricardo Lopez Valencia has served as director of the Company since May of 2007. In July 2007, Mr. Valencia joined Zamas Holdings, LLC, a venture capital and private equity firm, as principal. From 2001 to June 2007, he served as the vice president of Hispanic markets for ING Group. Since 2003, he has served as senior vice president, primarily responsible for the company’s diversity marketing initiatives and financial wealth development programs. Mr. Valencia currently serves on the boards of Children’s Action Alliance, National 4-H, the National Future Farmers of America Foundation, the Children’s Hospital Corporate Advisory, the New York Hispanic Ballet and the West Ed, a national nonprofit education research, development and service agency. Mr. Valencia has served on the boards of the National PTA, International Association of Marketing Students (DECA), the White House Millennium Youth Initiative and the U.S. Department of Education’s Partnership for Family Involvement. He previously served as the executive director of the National Future Farmers of America Alumni Association. In 1983, he became the first Hispanic president of Arizona’s Future Farmers of America. Mr. Valencia has also served as the director of education for USA Today, where he helped make K-12 outreach a major initiative for the nation’s newspaper. He also served as the director of professional development for career and technical education for the State of Arizona.

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Board of Directors Current

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Board of Directors Current

Richard D.C. Whilden has served as a director since 1995. Since 1990, Mr. Whilden has been a principal of Contrarian Group, an investment and management company. From June 1996 to July 2000, he served as Chairman of the board of directors of GetThere, Inc., an internet travel company, and from March 1998 to March 1999, he served as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Between 1993 and 1994, he was Chairman of the board of directors of Caliber Bank in Phoenix, Arizona and was Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Caliber Bank s holding company, Independent Bankcorp of Arizona, Inc. From 1959 to 1989, Mr. Whilden was employed by TRW, Inc., during which time he served as an Executive Vice President from 1984 to 1989. Mr. Whilden also serves as a director of Ambassadors Group, Inc., a publicly traded travel company and is Chairman of the board of directors of Climos Inc. Our board of directors unanimously recommends that you vote FOR each of the three director nominees.

Organization Position Status
Ambassadors International, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Ambassadors Group, Inc. Director Current
TRW, Inc. Former
Climos Inc. Chairman Former
University of Redlands Bachelor's Degree Former
The Program Inc Former

Executive News

  • Ambassadors Group Declares Quarterly Dividend

    RBC Dain Raushcer - 8/13/09 - View Story

  • Student "Ambassador" Dies

    Consumer Affairs - 8/12/09 - View Story

  • Wrongful Death Lawsuit for Tyler R. Hill Against Ambassadors Group, docleaf, et al.,...

    Reuters - 8/06/09 - View Story

  • Wrongful Death Lawsuit for Tyler R. Hill Against Ambassadors Group, docleaf, et al., Officially Settled

    PR Newswire - 8/06/09 - View Story

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     EPAX $12.44 +0.05 (0.40% )
Average Volume 68,003
Shares Outstanding 18.82M
Market Cap 234.2M
Year High 17.29
Year Low 6.2
Earnings Per Share 1.03
P/E Ratio 12.08
Dividend 0.24
Yield 1.93
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