Cruise Planners' Beverly Brean Named Woman of the Year for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Beverly Brean, a Home Office Team member at Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, was named the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society® (LLS) Woman of the Year. Cruise Planners managed the 10-week fundraising campaign in Brean’s memory as a way to celebrate the life of Brean, a member of Cruise Planners’ Business Development Team until her passing in February. 

“Having Beverly as our nominee for Woman of the Year ignited our team’s giving spirit in ways I’ve never seen,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. “Every fundraising event was carried out with an energy that mirrored the passion Bev brought to our office.”

Cruise Planners has been involved in LLS since 2012 when COO, Vicky Garcia was first nominated and named Woman of the Year. In 2014, Fee followed in those footsteps after raising a record-breaking amount, and this year the company campaigned for Brean to celebrate her vivacious spirit, love of life and commitment to helping others. 

LLS’s Woman of the Year is a prestigious national campaign that focuses on raising money for the fight against blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Each candidate raises money during a 10-week campaign, with each dollar raised counting as one “vote” and Brean’s campaign raised the highest in Fort Lauderdale with nearly $150,000 raised. When Brean was named Fort Lauderdale’s Woman of the Year winner, Fee accepted in her honor. 

Fee said, “Through our collective efforts, we’ve collectively fundraised, campaigned and donated for more than $1 million to LLS, which make us proud.”

The Cruise Planners team held in-house fundraisers for “Team Bev” every week of the campaign, including themed lunches, online auctions, and a comedy night hosted by Vanessa Joseph, the LLS Girl of the Year. Supporters throughout the travel industry and the Cruise Planners franchise network also contributed to the campaign.

“I am inspired by how the Cruise Planners family came together to remember Beverly,” Fee said. “Year after year, the Cruise Planners team is passionate about giving back and making a positive impact.”