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T
ravel consultant Aundre Clinton’s
voice sounds patient, wise and
full of good humor—which works
well in her position at the United Airlines
Olympic desk, since her voice serves as her
main point of contact with her customers.
Clinton works on a team of eight that’s
solely dedicated to the needs of the U.S.
Olympic Committee, handling travel
arrangements for committee members,
athletes and anyone traveling on official
teambusiness.
“When I worked in Reservations, I
might hear someone’s story about
why they need to fly,” Clinton explains.
“But working with the Olympic Commit-
tee, we talk to the same people all the
time. We build a rapport with them.”
United has had a dedicated Olympic
desk, where Olympic Games business is a
full-time job, for 32 years. Clinton says it’s
never slow. “They always have something
going on, going to meetings or preparing
for events,” she says. “Right now, they‘re
already preparing for Russia, where the
Winter Games will be held. They plot out
housing, negotiate with the government.”
She first signed on in 2006, when the
desk moved from Denver to Detroit. “I
thought it would be fun to do. I’ve grown
to love it,” she says. “It can overwhelmme
at times, but I go home, take a break and
come back the next day. We get pulled in a
lot of different directions.”
Lately, the pull has been the Games of
2012, which involve transporting toLondon
more than 1,100 people—about 150 USOC
employees and 900 athletes, coaches and
staff—and all their baggage and gear
(estimated atmore than 2,500 pieces) from
across the U.S.
Clinton’s diligence is not lost on USOC
staff. “I can count on Aundre to find a
solution to any issue that may arise,” says
Stephanie Barr, USOC Travel Department
manager. “Her engaging personality helps
to alleviate any concerns that may occur
with our travel needs. She is a joy to work
with and always makes me laugh!”
Clintonherselfwill alsohead toLondon,
where she will have little time to spend
watching the Games. “They have it down
to a military science. I can’t believe how
they get it done,” she says. “We start with
meetings at 7 a.m. At 7 at night, we have a
transportation meeting to discuss who is
going tobemoving inandout thenext day.”
Inbetween those twodailymeetings lies
a full day of work, she says. “I check daily
tomake sure our flights leave on time and
that the peoplewho are supposed to be on
themcheck in. Then I coordinate with the
transportation department to make sure
someone gets there to pick up the group
that will be landing that day. There’s usu-
ally about 12 people coming at a time, if not
more. We have big-movement days and
small-movement days.”
This, Clinton explains, will be her
routine for a li le more than three weeks.
“I get there a couple of days before the
opening ceremony and I stay until one day
a er the closing ceremony.”
When the Games end, Clinton’s job for
the 2012 team won’t be quite over. Unlike
Super Bowl athletes, TeamUSAathletes do
not go toDisneyland: Instead, they head to
theWhiteHouse, where they traditionally
visit the president. And Clinton and her
co-workers get them to that appointment
on time as well.
“Our desk is extremely dedicated to
making sure that whenwe saywe’re going
to do something, it gets done,” Clinton
says. “For me personally, it’s about being
involved with something major. It has a
major effect ona lot of people’s lives—from
my li le position.
“Youwouldn’t thinkwhat I do on a daily
basiswouldhave an impact on sucha large
organization. But it does, and it’s cool.”
Pu ingWings to
the Rings
For Aundre Clinton, supporting TeamUSA is as much about
the journey as it is the destination
BY A. AVERYL RE
VOICES
18
JULY 2012
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM