North American Travel Journalists Association NATJA

The Original Mickey Mouse

A bit of discussion surfaced a few months ago from members of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) about the origins and ownership of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). Somebody rather innocently inquired as to the ownership of the organization, only to find that barriers and more questions were raised. I've blogged about this before, so do a search with the above Google engine and read all about it.

Today, somebody sent me details about NATJA which seem only appropriate to pass along to other readers of this blog. Hopefully, the folks at NATJA will contact me with any correction as I can't guarantee accuracy with the notes below.

I don't belong to NATJA but the group has received both positive and negative reports over the last few years. They send me an invitation to their annual convention, which seems to be subsidized but certainly not free, and also an invitation to their annual travel writers contest, which offers many decent prizes such as hotel rooms and whatever but generally lack airfare to the destination. I could post about that one in detail.

So here's some background on NATJA:

What is NATJA

NATJA (North American Travel Journalists Association) is a fictitious business name for Apollo Interactive LLC. of Culver City California 90232. According to the FBN filed with LA County the type of business is listed as Professional Association, Marketing and Promotions. Apollo Interactive LLC is a California Limited Liability Corporation

According to the Articles of Incorporation filed with the California Secretary of State the owners are David Bohline, Justin Woo and Richard Balue. The type of business is listed as Marketing along with Internet Services and Web Site Design.

The same three people, Bohline, Woo and Balue, are listed as the the owners of Apollo Interactive Inc, a privately held California corporation on the company website. They are all graduates of USC and members of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and reportedly founded the company in 1995 first working from their chapter house at USC. Apollo Interactive Inc. lists its services as Internet Advertising, Web Development and E-Business Integration

Apollo Interactive's clients include retail, manufacturing and finance clients like Jack in the Box, Reliant Energy and WB Televison. All of their listed travel industry clients are casinos, including:

Luxor Las Vegas
Cache Creek Casino
Circus Circus, Las Vegas and Reno
Excalibur Resort and Casino
Gold Strike Hotel and Casino
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Monte Carlo Casino
Motor Cisty Casino, Detroit
Pala Casino
Silver Legacy Resort and Casino

Apollo Interactive inc. is credited as the web designer for the NATJA website and is listed as its domain owner.

The Executive Director of NATJA is Elizabeth Beshear, formerly Elizabeth Barnes. Elizabeth is the wife of Matt Beshear Matt is the president of Apollo Interactive Inc. He is also a USC graduate and member of the TKE fraternity along with Bohline, Woo and Balue.

If you want to contact the owners, they can be reached at:

bohline@apollointeractive.com
balue@apollointeractive.com
woo@apollointeractive.com

NATJA is not organized as a 501(c)(6) business trade association under Federal tax code.

According to the California Law Revision Commission "A trade association is generally a membership organization of persons engaging in a similar or related line of commerce, organized to promote and improve business conditions in that line of commerce and not to engage in a regular business for profit, and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any member.

*****************************

Additional Data:

Apollo Interactive LLC.
8556 Hayden Place,
Culver City California 90232

The Articles of Organization, file number 101998002167 filed 1/1/1998
Agent: David Bohline, 650 W. Mariposa Avenue, El Segundo CA 90245
Type of Business: Internet Services and Web Site Design

copy available

The Statement of Information Renewal number 199800210167 filed 12/3/2001 lists
Address: 531 Main Street #902, El Segundo CA 90245
Records kept at: 8556 Hayden Place, Culver City CA 90232
Type of Business: Marketing
Manager and Agent: David Bohline
David Bohline, 443 Loma Vista Street, El Segundo CA 90245
Justin Woo, 4243 Mary Ellen Avenue, Apt 12, Studio City CA 91604
Richard Balue, 642 8th Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

copy available

Apollo InteractiveOwner/Founders:
Justin Woo, Chief Executive Officer
David Bohline, Chief Operating Officer
Richard Balue, Chief Technology Officer

contact info:
bohline@apollointeractive.com
balue@apollointeractive.com
woo@apollointeractive.com

References:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGISTRAR

http://lavote.net/fbn/Default.cfm enter search "north american travel journalists"

Fictitious Business Name Statement document 2248832 obtained from
Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
Business Filings and Registration Section, Room 2001
12400 Imperial Highway
Norwalk, CA 90650

CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE

http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/corpdata/ShowLpllcAllList?
QueryLpllcNumber=199800210167

The Articles of Organization, file number 101998002167 filed 1/1/1998
obtained from California Secretary of State

The Statement of Information Renewal number 199800210167 filed 12/3/2001
obtained from California Secretary of State

http://tinyurl.com/e3at2

APOLLO INTERACTIVE INC.

http://www.apollointeractive.com/aboutus/aboutus.php
http://www.apollointeractive.com/services/services.php
http://www.apollointeractive.com/clients/clients.php
http://www.apollointeractive.com/clients/industry.php

TKE The Magazine of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, Fall 2004

http://tinyurl.com/b24oh
http://www.tkeusc.org/alumni/aug2000.php
http://www.tkeusc.org/alumni/index.php

OWNERS

http://www.google.com/search?q=+bohline+site:
apollointeractive.com
http://www.google.com/search?q=+woo+site:
apollointeractive.com
http://www.google.com/search?q=+bohline+site:
apollointeractive.com

NATJA

http://natja.org
http://www.dnsstuff.com/tools/whois.ch?ip=natja.org&server=whois.publicinterestregistry.
net&email=on
http://alexa.com/data/details/?url=natja.org

ELIZABETH BESHEAR

elizabeth@natja.org
http://www.natja.org/member/elizabethbarnes
http://www.thebeshears.com/
http://www.travelworldmagazine.com/photography/
articles.php?MemberID=343

MATT BESHEAR

beshear@apollointeractive.com
http://www.thebeshears.com/
http://www.thebeshears.com/aboutus.html
http://www.natja.org/member/matthewjbeshear
http://www.travelworldmagazine.com/photography/
articles.php?MemberID=421

DAVID BOHLINE

http://www.college-prep.org/alumni/paw/fall04/fall04.htm
http://www.zoominfo.com/PeopleSearch/PersonDetail.asp?PersonID=34850463&pc=