By Amanda K. Lowe, Contributing Writer
Collette Vacations is not only the oldest and one of the largest tour operators in the nation; it is also, it turns out, a great place to work.
Founded in 1918, Collette Vacations offers more than 130 tours to 50 countries on all seven continents. The company has been owned by the Sullivan family since 1962, and they have made it their goal to make all employees feel like family, said Daniel Sullivan Jr., president and CEO.
“There are a lot of reasons why Collette Vacations is such a great place to work, but I think the overall reason is the people,” Sullivan said. “The people create the environment, and the people we hire create a great environment at Collette. It is happy place, and people like coming to work. We treat everyone like family, and the employees seem to like that.”
Katie Lynch has been working for Collette for 15 years and agrees.
“I love my job,” Lynch said. “They act like there are five people working for them when really there are over 500 employees. They act like every single one of us is family. I would do anything for them.”
Carol Palmer has been working at Collette for 20 years. She started at the company right out of college. “When I first came to Collette I was supposed to be a temp worker for one week, and here I am celebrating 20 years with the company,” she said. “I really feel like it is more than a job; I feel like I am a part of the family.”
Both women said the philanthropy of the company was another great reason to work with Collette. The Sullivans have always given extensively to charity, and recently they created the Collette Foundation, a five-year, $2 million, employee-run initiative to improve the lives of children around the world, focusing on travel destinations where Collette runs tours.
“The Sullivan family is the most generous family that I have ever known,” said Palmer. “They give so much to Pawtucket and to charities around the state and around the world.”
“As a company they are so giving,” Lynch said. “They do very well financially, and they know how to give back to the community, and they are involved in charities across the world. The best part is that they involve all their employees in their charity. That is what I love; they are constantly giving.”
Then, of course, there’s the nature of the business.
“I love the travel opportunities,” Palmer said. “I get to see all different places, and things are always changing for the better. It is such an innovative company that offers great experiences for their employees.”
Sullivan said travel is a favorite for many employees. After 90 days at Collette, employees can travel to one of the destinations featured on the company’s tours.
“We do a great job of educating and training our employees, and they learn a lot about the travel industry,” Sullivan said. “Even if they are in an accounting position, they can be traveling to Australia or some exotic place.”
Lynch said that Collette is a company that “knows how to treat its employees.”
“A lot of companies never learn the right way to treat their employees,” Lynch said. “Employees will always give back when you give to them. The best thing about Collette is that they treat their employees like family, and the employees respond by giving the company their all.”
