About Us
THE TRAVEL PROF is a the alter ego of Chuck Kratz, the host of Travel News and Views. While Chuck holds credentials in higher education, the character of THE TRAVEL PROF was born as a cyber side-kick to assist listeners and web viewers in their quest for worldwide travel information. This fun character will guide you through Chuck and Katie’s travels and the relationships they’ve developed with other travel professionals around the globe.
THE TRAVEL PROF helps you travel smarter and safer while having more fun!
Chuck Kratz
Chuck Kratz
Chuck has a very interesting background. He spent 26 years in the field of Education as a school administrator and earned his doctorate with a major in Curriculum leadership and a focus on labor relations and collective bargaining. Additionally, Chuck was an adjunct professor at two major universities in the state of Michigan.
Following his retirement at a very early age Chuck started a second career in the travel business by owning and managing a very successful travel retail location in Michigan. Initially the primary focus of his business was in the cruise industry but it quickly expanded to all forms of travel world wide based on his personal experiences and interest in travel around the globe.
Chuck and his wife Katie have enjoyed the opportunity to travel to many destinations around the world and continue to do so as often as they can annually.
In early 2009 Chuck moved into a new found interest in media. Chuck began a new career at the flagship station News/Talk 760 WJR in Detroit Michigan. His Travel News and Views show enjoyed such a successful following that he decided to syndicate his show beginning in 2010. Beginning in 2010 Chuck and his team are developing a program that will reach listeners across the United States and around the world through not only the radio waves but also with the help of a very active web based digital platform.
His weekly shows include world travelers, tourism boards, his many personal experiences, and many travel suppliers that specialize in arranging vacation packages for the public around the world.
The listeners have the opportunity to visit his website and contribute to his blogs. They also have the opportunity to share personal experiences, photo’s, video’s and podcasts of their world travels as well.
Additionally, Chuck is starting his very own travel club which will visit different destinations bi-annually by land, cruise or river boat. Chuck and his wife Katie will be hosting these bi-annual events and would welcome all of his listeners to join them.
Katie Flannigan
Katie Flannigan - Teacher's Pet
Katie has been traveling the world since her college years. She has biked in Vietnam, zip lined in Mexico, backpacked through Europe, camped in Greece, driven all of Ireland , lava tubed in Hawaii ,spent a month in China, and among other land adventures has cruised extensively. Katie brings extensive research and planning activities to Travel News and Views. Along with her world wide travel expertise she also has a long career as a Registered Nurse, Physician Assistant and Senior Executive in a large Metro Detroit Hospital and brings many of her leadership, organizational, and service oriented skills to her position at Kratz Media LLC.. Chuck and Katie have three daughters, one son and currently 3 granddaughters.
