South African Airways (SAA) announced new sales directors for its Western and Northeast regions in North America. Paula Newton is director of sales for the Western Region, based in the Los Angeles area. Katherine Jochen is director of sales for the Northeast, based in the New York City metropolitan area.
As director of sales for the Western region, Newton’s territory will include California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Newton joined SAA in 2001 and has held several management positions within the airline’s sales and marketing departments in North America. Most recently, she served as director of marketing events and promotions, responsible for negotiating and coordinating SAA’s participation in many corporate and community events and enhancing the airline’s brand position in North America. Prior to joining SAA, Newton served as director of sales – ethnic markets for Kartagener and Associates (KAI), a luxury travel marketing firm. Prior to KAI, she was president and founder of Natchez Travel and Promotional Services in Los Angeles. A California native, Newton graduated from Chico State University in California with a degree in Industrial Psychology.
As director of sales for the Northeast region, Katherine Jochen’s territory will include New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Prior to joining SAA, Jochen served as market development manager in the U.S. for Ethiopian Airlines. A 25-year veteran of the airline industry, she has held sales positions with Air New Zealand, El Al Israel Airlines, LanChile Airlines and Air France. A New York native, she is a graduate of Eisenhower College in Seneca Falls, New York.
“Both Paula and Katherine bring a wealth of experience that will be of great benefit to SAA,” said Todd Neuman, vice president of sales, North America for SAA. “They possess the skills and expertise that will be critical to expanding and enhancing SAA’s market share in the rapidly-growing U.S. market.”
South African Airways features the only nonstop service from the U.S. to South Africa with daily departures from Washington, D.C., and daily direct service from New York that offer travel convenience and award-winning service. SAA’s service to Dakar is the only non-stop to the destination from New York. Customers in premium class enjoy 180° flat-bed seats with individual entertainment systems, and customers in economy class enjoy the most legroom versus competitors and individual on-demand entertainment systems. SAA’s unrivaled network, featuring connections to more than 20 destinations within South Africa, and more than 20 cities across the rest of the continent, make the airline the savvy traveler’s “gateway to Africa.” As a member to the worldwide Star Alliance, South African Airways is able to offer its customers 897 destinations in 160 countries and more than 17,000 flights daily, including convenient connections from more than 25 cities in the U.S. through code share service with Star Alliance partner United Airlines. Members of United’s Mileage Plus, US Airways’ Dividend Miles and Air Canada’s Aeroplan programs are able to earn and redeem miles on all South African Airways flights.