Author: Lakshman Ratnapala
Posted: Thu 5 Aug, 2010 12:21 PM
PATA Founder and Life Member Bill Lane with Lakshman Ratnapala, PATA President & CEO 1992-1997 at the Foreign Travel Club of San Francisco , 2009
I was particularly saddened to receive the news, as Bill and his beloved wife Jean were personal friends of my wife Barbara and me. They always made it a point to attend our twice-a-year dinner parties. An excellent raconteur, Bill held the attention of those gathered around him with stories of PATA’s beginning and evolution, while Jean chipped in with tales about PATA spouses.
Bill was delighted when I invited him to be the keynote speaker at the Foreign Travel Club of San Francisco some time ago, and he arrived with Fred Rae, former publisher of the Pacific Travel News (PTN), official magazine of PATA.
I last met Bill as recently as two months ago, on June 8, at a California Travel Industry Association dinner celebrating the presentation of the tourism ‘Stewardship Award’, which Bill received with great pride. Not bad for a 90 year old! That was Bill — always charming, always active and above all, always dedicated to the cause of tourism.
Lakshman Ratnapala
PATA Life Member
PATA President & CEO: 1992-1997
