Pierce makes ‘People of the Year’ list

A travel retail industry publication has named Marian Aldan-Pierce as one of its 12 people of the year for her role as a DFS Saipan executive.

Aldan-Pierce was recognized by the Moodie Davitt Report as one of its 12 People of the Year for taking initiative and using her role as DFS Saipan president to help those who were left devastated by Super Typhoon Yutu in October 2018.

The honorees were described as a diverse line of executives who have been chosen for a wide range of contributions from business achievements to community and charitable endeavors.

In the Moodie Davitt Report story written by Martin Moodie, it said that the DFS Group, under the leadership of Aldan-Pierce, responded almost immediately to assist people affected by Super Typhoon Yutu, including around 90-percent of its local staff.

Following the devastation left behind by Super Typhoon Yutu, Aldan-Pierce and DFS Saipan General manager Milan Rabold “helped mobilize assistance for staff and local residents, from basic daily needs to deeper humanitarian relief.”

Aside from humanitarian relief, Aldan-Pierce and her colleagues did more, setting up an online fundraising website, with a pledge to match donations dollar for dollar.

As of Dec. 24, DFS has reportedly raised over $121,000 in the account, not counting what has been given/pledged offline.

“Assistance to our employees, with the company’s match of $250,000 will be just over $600,000 when all is set and done,” Aldan-Pierce told Moodie. “We’re proud to have played our role in rallying the travel retail community, which has since responded with vigor.”

Moodie wrote, “Such results don’t just happen. They take courage, passion, determination and organizational skill of people on the ground. We salute Marian Aldan-Pierce and her team, and urge the industry to continue giving, via the dedicated website, to help those who lives have been destroyed,” he said.

Aldan-Pierce told Saipan Tribune that it is a huge honor to be featured in the Moodie Davitt Report. “But our company should be foremost. They make it easy for those of us on the ground to always do the right thing. We are empowered and trusted to represent them well,” she said.

In a separate Facebook post, Aldan-Pierce said: “It was a very humbling experience to be recognized internationally because the company you work for is so caring for its employees and the community it does business in. I am so honored and blessed to be intricately intertwined with the DFS Group” she added.

The 11 other Moodie Davitt Report featured honorees are Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Akbar Al Baker, Charles Chen, Bernard ‘Benny’ Klepach, Cissy Chan, Inken Callsen, Colm McLoughlin, Erik Juul-Mortensen, Kate Swann, Yungsik Son, and Evelyn Danos.

The Moodie Davitt Report is published by independent company Moodie International. It arose from The Moodie Report, a weekly newsletter for the travel retail industry.