Faculty & Research
Shane O'Flaherty
President, International and Ratings
Forbes Travel Guide
Shane is responsible for the overall strategic direction of Forbes Travel Guide internationallly, and is also responsible for running the company's global inspection and Star ratings program. Shane joined the company in 2000, and began modernizing and expanding the company’s Star Ratings program as the Vice President of Quality Assurance. Subsequently, he created its successful consulting division, serving as vice president and general manager before serving as President & CEO and then assuming his current post to lead the global expansion of the company. Prior to joining Forbes Travel Guide, Shane was director of business and leisure marketing for Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and was recognized as one of the “Rising Stars” in the travel industry for 1999 by Travel Agent magazine. Prior to Preferred, O’Flaherty was director of a Berlitz International Language Center, worked at United Airlines in San Francisco, California, and International Educational Services in Osaka, Japan. Shane is a frequent guest speaker at industry events and serves as a travel expert for major national media outlets. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and was born in Dublin, Ireland. Shane is based in Chicago, Illinois.