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 the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), a network focused on driving change for the career advancement of women in travel-related industries.

"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’s 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 joined Hertz in 2002 in Dublin, Ireland, as a team leader at Hertz's international call center and has advanced her career to overseeing the company’s global marketing, sales, and customer experience. She was honored by WINiT in 2019 as the recipient of the Rising Female Leader Award.

Amid the challenges created by the pandemic in 2020, 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 during the pandemic; launched a program giving free month-long car rentals to NYC healthcare workers totaling $2 million 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 her 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."