Hertz's Laura Smith Honored as a Top 50 Women in Travel

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Mar 03, 2021, 15:29 ET

ESTERO, Fla., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Laura Smith, Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Experience at Hertz has been honored as a Top 50 Women in Travel by WINiT by GBTA – a network focused on driving positive change for the career advancement of women in travel-related industries.

Laura Smith, Hertz Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Experience

"Laura is a true role model for leadership – always rising to meet any challenge, supporting others, serving as a positive example and putting our customers and employees at the heart of everything we do," said Paul Stone, Hertz President and CEO. "I'm thrilled she is being honored for the incredible impact that she's making at Hertz and in the travel industry."

Smith has led a long and impressive career at Hertz and was previously honored by WINiT in 2019 as the recipient of the Rising Female Leader Award. She joined the company in 2002 in Dublin, Ireland as a Team Leader at Hertz's international call center and has advanced her career to one of the highest positions, overseeing global Marketing, Sales and Customer Experience.

Amid the challenges created by the pandemic in 2020 in the travel industry and communities around the world, Smith led several impactful initiatives that further underscored her people-focused leadership and care and commitment to Hertz customers. In collaboration with Hertz's global rental operations, Smith and her teams introduced and marketed Hertz Gold Standard Clean, an enhanced vehicle and sanitization process that concludes with the car being sealed to help customers travel safely and confidently during the pandemic; launched a program giving free month-long car rentals to NYC healthcare workers totaling $2M in rental donations; and implemented initiatives that earned Hertz the No. 1 ranking in the J.D. Power North American Rental Car Satisfaction Study for the second consecutive year.

Smith is also recognized for supporting WINiT's mission this year in part for her longstanding coaching and mentorship of female professionals and efforts to promote more women into leadership roles.

"It is an honor to be recognized by WINiT and a privilege to be included alongside these talented women in the travel industry," said Smith. "I love what I do and proud to be surrounded by so many remarkable colleagues and teammates who are making a difference and lifting each other up. They inspire me and fuel my own commitment to help others grow and succeed."

About Hertz

Hertz, one of the most recognized brands in the world and currently ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction by J.D. Power, has a long-standing legacy of providing a fast and easy experience designed to make every journey special. It starts with top-rated vehicles to fit every traveler's needs, delivered with a caring touch and personalized services including its award-winning Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program, Ultimate Choice, Mobile Wi-Fi, and more. Wherever and whenever you need to go, at Hertz, we're here to get you there. To learn more or reserve a vehicle, visit Hertz.com.

Hertz pioneered the car rental industry more than 100 years ago and today is owned by Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. which includes Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rental brands and fleet management leader Donlen Corporation.

SOURCE The Hertz Corporation