Ryan D. Olson President Ryan Olson serves as President for Mountain West Travel. He has worked with the company since 1998. Prior to serving as President, Mr. Olson worked as Vice President of the Tour Division where he was successful in managing the tour division through it's greatest change period. . In addition, Mr. Olson worked as Operations Manager where he was instrumental in streamlining company operations. From 1998 to 2000 he worked as Senior Japanese Tour Guide. Mr. Olson lived in Nagoya, Japan from 1993-1995. Mr. Olson received a bachelors degree in Political Science and a bachelors degree in Global Economics from Brigham Young University. Mr. Olson has had a broad exposure to Japanese business working for Taisho Pharmaceuticals in Tokyo, Japan and being in the Japanese travel industry since 1995.
He received a bachelors degree in business from Brigham Young University with an emphasis in International Marketing. Mr. Tokita has broad exposure in international public management, operational management and international business with relation to Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, China and Hong Kong. Steve lived in Okinawa, Japan from 1994-1996.
Chris Stewart serves as the Regional Manager for the Pacific Northwest. He has been with the company since 2002. Prior to serving as the Regional Manager, Mr. Stewart served as the Phoenix Branch Manager, Corprate Operations Manager as well as Manager for Accounts Receivable. In addition he has also worked as a Japanese-speaking Tour Guide. Mr. Stewart previously managed accounts receivable and general bookeeping for a small company in Las Vegas. He lived in Fukuoka and Okinawa, Japan from 2000-2002.
Ms. Higbee serves as Branch Manager for our Salt Lake City office. She worked for Mountain West Travel from 1998 to 2000 as director of sales and marketing. After working for the U.S. Five Western States Tourism Office from 2000 to 2006, as Japanese Market Analyst, she rejoins our team as Salt Lake City Branch Manager.
Nobuko worked as an interpreter and translator for various companies for many years, including:TV Asahi, NHK , Tokyo TV, Chubu Nippon Broadcasting, KSL, KUTV, Fox 13 News, Japanese Ministry of Education, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Saitama Prefecture Department of Education, Nagano Olympic Committee, NBA, Sanwa Research, WordPerfect, Novell, University of Utah Medical Center, Utah Governor’s Office, State of Utah Division of International Economic Development, Ito Chu, several advertising agencies, and others, just to name a few.
Nobuko was born in Omuta-shi, Fukuoka, Japan. She graduated from Tokyo Joshi Daigaku (Tokyo Women’s Christian University), two-year program, majoring in English. She also attended Utah State University to major in biology/medical technology.
Jo-Ellen Mesa Mexico Market Manager Ms. Mesa works as the Mexico Market Manager. Her primary responsibilities are to develop the Portland, Oregon Mexico Market. She has been with the company since December 2007. Ms. Mesa has worked for the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors bureau for eight years as the Senior Sales Manager. She has been instrumental in developing a number of successful programs that promote the Colorado Springs Region.
Mr. Anderton serves as Tour Development Manager for Mountain West Travel. He has been with the company since 2000. Mr. Anderton has extensive Japanese guide experience for all regions in the Western United States and Canada. He has coordinated groups for Coca Cola, Panasonic, TBS, Fuji TV, Mainichi Shinbun, Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Mr. Anderton also has an extensive knowledge of the Japanese language culture. He lived in Fukuoka from 1996-1998 and also from 1999-2002.
Joy Palmer Operations Department Ms. Palmer works in the Operations Department for Mountain West Travel and MWT Events. She has been with the company since July 2007. Ms. Palmer graduated from Brigham Young University in 2002 with a B.S. in Geography-Travel and Tourism with a minor in Japanese. She graduated Magna Cum Laude. Prior to joining MWT, she worked in operations for a Japanese tour operator in Seattle, Washington overseeing the educational and homestay programs. She has also worked as the International Client Services Manager for ALP Limited. Ms. Palmer has lived in Japan for nearly seven years, most recently in the Hyogo Prefecture. She was recognized as a one of a few Americans who passed the National Interpreter Guide test as administered by Japaanese Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
