Vela McClam-Mitchell Thomas is the founder of Vimm Global, LLC headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Vimm Global is the parent company of her other entrepreneurial pursuits, Lemae Group Wines, Vinings Wine Club and Market Designs Lab. Vela was also the former owner of Georgia International Travel (GIT), which was an American Express affiliated corporate travel management company.  She sold that company in 2016.

Before forming her own company, Vela was senior vice president and general manager of the Global Travel Supplier Solutions Group at Worldspan (a company formerly owned by Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines and American Airlines). During her tenure at Worldspan, Vela created and helped develop the company’s eCommerce business unit where she and her team were responsible for contracting significant customers, including Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, and Site 59.

Vela’s business management career also includes a role as Director of Industry Sales Programs at Northwest Airlines, and as a Manager of Strategic Defense Systems Business Development for Hughes Aircraft Company where she was one of the first women in the country with direct responsibility for missile sales to the U.S. government. She is a former member of the board of directors of ET-China in Guangzhou, China, Jetspan in Singapore, Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association, Ron McNair Foundation for Science and Technology, World Trade Center Atlanta, the American Express Travel Services Corporate Advisory Board and Vin Expo America. She is currently serving on the St. Jude Digital Strategy Advisory Board.

Vela has an MBA from the Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University, a MS from Howard University and a BS from Claflin University.  She has received certifications in Global Enterprise Management from Kellogg College at the University of Oxford, Oxford England and Strategic Business Management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.  She is married to Kentucky State Senator Reginald Thomas of Lexington, Kentucky. 

Vela is excited to bring her expertise and team of travel associates to AVANT Travel in Lexington, Kentucky.