Our Principals

Ron Kurtz, President

Ron has over twenty years of experience in general management and senior marketing positions in the airline, cruise, and hotel industries. In 1989 he established The Management Resource Group, which has provided strategic planning and interim management services to such clients as Merrill Lynch, Philip Morris, The Home Shopping Network, Celebrity Cruises, and others involved in the hospitality and travel industries. Kurtz has specialized in and researched the affluent market since 1982, when he became the founding President of Sea Goddess Cruises. Kurtz holds a BBA from The University of Texas and an MBA from The Harvard Graduate School of Business. He is the author of the book “Market Research: Strategy and Techniques”.

Michael Smith, Senior Associate

Michael has over 25 years of experience in marketing, research, strategic planning, business development and organizational management for a variety of companies in the transportation, travel and hospitality, and construction industries. These companies include Ryder System, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Prior to joining AARC as a senior associate and project director, Smith provided consulting services to clients in advertising, barter media, professional sports, travel, and non-profit organizations. Smith has both his BBA in Marketing and MBA from Florida International University in Miami, Florida.

Carrie Turner, Senior Associate

Carrie has over 15 years of experience in customer relationship management and managerial consulting across various industries.  Carrie’s experience includes working with clients and business partners at First Chicago (later absorbed by Chase), BearingPoint, Towers Perrin, and Deloitte Consulting.  Carrie earned her MBA in Managerial and Organizational Behavior from the University of Chicago and B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University.