Barry Robinson
President, Executive Committee - APRDO
President and Managing Director, International Operations, Wyndham Vacation Clubs
Barry oversees operations of the company’s timeshare business outside North America. He served as President and Managing Director of Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific for 15 years, driving significant property acquisitions and enhanced resort developments, including growing the business to become the world’s largest vacation ownership development operation outside North America. He was also responsible for leading Wyndham Hotel Group’s growth across South East Asia and the Pacific Rim. Under Barry’s leadership a renewed customer focus was instilled across both businesses. The service culture that he continues to emphasise across Wyndham Vacation Clubs is to create personalised and memorable experiences at every touchpoint.
Barry leads the international growth strategy for the company’s seven vacation clubs: CLUB WYNDHAM®, WorldMark® by Wyndham, CLUB WYNDHAM® ASIA, WorldMark South Pacific Club, Shell Vacations Club, Margaritaville Vacation Club® by Wyndham and WYNDHAM CLUB BRASIL(SM).
With more than 30 years’ hospitality experience, Barry served in a number of leading industry roles covering management, operations, development, branding and franchising. He has held several of senior leadership positions in the Asia Pacific region for some of the world’s largest hospitality companies, including Swiss-Belhotel International, Swissôtel Worldwide Partner Hotels and Choice Hotels International.
Barry is currently Deputy President of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC), having previously served as the industry body’s President. He was inducted into the ATHOC Hall of Fame in 2017. Barry’s contributions to the industry were recognised internationally in 2013 with the Industry Leader Award at the Perspective Awards, the only global recognition platform in the vacation ownership industry judged by both experts and peers.
Jeff Bernier
Vice President, Executive Committee - APRDO
Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing – Asia,
Hilton Grand Vacations
Jeff Bernier is Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing – Asia for Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV). In this role, Mr. Bernier is responsible for leading sales and marketing strategies and initiatives to drive revenue growth in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Prior to joining HGV in 2015, Mr. Bernier served as Managing Director, Asia-Pacific Region for Delta Air Lines, where he was responsible for increasing sales revenue and growing the company’s visibility. For more than two decades, Mr. Bernier has lived in Japan and worked with Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines holding progressive roles, including Japan Sales Director and Japan Sales and Trade Relations Director, as well as Managing Director of Asia-Pacific Sales and Industry Affairs.
Mr. Bernier’s more than 20 years of experience in the Asia-Pacific Region’s travel industry is an asset as HGV continues to strategically develop new markets in the region.
Mr. Bernier speaks fluent Japanese and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Saint Olaf College. He serves on the Executive Committee as Vice President of APRDO.
Joe Hickman
Treasurer, Executive Committee - APRDO
Vice President/Executive Director, Interval International Asia Pacific
Joe Hickman has been with Interval International in its Asia Pacific Headquarter offices in Singapore since 2002. He has responsibility for implementing business development activities for Asia-Pacific, including affiliating resorts Interval International's global network, developing and directing all sales and resort marketing strategies, as well as managing developer client relationships.
Hickman has lived and worked in Asia for over thirty years and has spent his professional career in the hospitality and timeshare industries. He led the marketing efforts and pre-opening for Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, Conrad Hong Kong and headed marketing at the Westin Philippine Plaza. In 1992 he entered the shared ownership industry as corporate director for vacation ownership for Hilton Hotels and was part of the team that pioneered Hilton's entry into the timeshare business. Prior to Interval, Hickman was the Executive Director for RCI Asia Pacific and President of RCI Travel Singapore. Hickman was responsible for marketing, public relations, member and business development, as well as call centre operations in Asia and Australia.
Hickman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management from California State University in Long Beach, California. He has served on a variety of industry boards including APRDO, PATA, and the Timeshare Associations of Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.
Martin J. Tolan
Director, Executive Committee - APRDO
Martin Tolan, Regional Vice President of Marketing & Sales, Asia-Pacific for Marriott Vacations Worldwide, has over 35 years of experience in vacation ownership in the U.S., Caribbean,
Europe and Asia-Pacific.
At the beginning of his career, Martin created a thriving marketing company in Florida which was acquired by Vistana in 1997. After the successful sale of his company, he was requested to stay on to assist in business growth in Eastern United States and the Caribbean.
In 2012, Martin joined Anantara Vacation Club in Bangkok Thailand as acting Chief Operating Officer for 4 years, building Anantara into one of Asia's largest timeshare sales operations. He was responsible for expanding and opening several Asian markets, including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore.
In 2016, Martin joined ILG Vacation Ownership in Orlando Florida. After the acquisition by Marriott Vacations Worldwide in 2018, he is responsible for the Marketing & Sales performance, growth, and strategic direction within the region.
With his extensive vacation ownership experience across the globe, he has been a pioneer in developing successful leadership teams, business growth, and ensuring innovative programs across businesses.