Kutztown travel agent wins national business award

Kutztown travel agent Ellen Overcast of Dream Vacations won a national business award in celebration of Women’s History Month. Overcast was presented the 2022 OPAL Award for leadership and community service.

“I am so honored to be recognized with the OPAL Award and I’m proud to be part of the Dream Vacations’ family,” said Overcast in a release. “I share this award because I wouldn’t have had so much success during such a challenging time for our industry without all the positive support from my fellow travel advisors and the Dream Vacations headquarters team.”

For the 10th year in a row, home-based travel agency franchise Dream Vacations honored a female travel agency franchise owner with the OPAL Award for Women to celebrate Women’s History Month in March. The award recognizes a female franchise owner who exemplifies outstanding performance and leadership. The honorees are active in community and civic organizations and demonstrate leadership within Dream Vacations.

This year’s award also celebrates women who not only survived but thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic by reinventing themselves and their businesses.

“Ellen not only created new ways to do business during the pandemic, but she continued to devote time to serving her community through volunteering and fundraising,” said Debbie Fiorino, chief operating officer for Dream Vacations. “She epitomizes what it means to be an OPAL winner, and I am honored to present Ellen with the 2022 OPAL Award.”

A travel franchise owner since June 2010, she started her franchise as CruiseOne and transitioning to its sister brand Dream Vacations in 2016.

Overcast sponsored the annual dinner for the Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce and was instrumental in converting it from a live event to a virtual one. She created “The Chamber Gang” and produced videos at each of the participating restaurants to promote the event. During the pandemic, she also reached out to several fellow franchise owners to participate in a virtual Murder Mystery so that they could stay connected.

She also serves on the Board of Friend Inc., volunteers at the local food pantry and will be the President of the Kutztown Rotary Club starting this July.

For more information or to book a dream vacation with Overcast, call 610-781-6950 or visit www.eovercast.dreamvacations.com.