Forty Under 40: Julie Mitchell

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Julie Mitchell, 39, has spent all but two years of her adult life in the travel business in Northwest Arkansas.

A month-long backpacking trip in Europe during her senior year of high school was a pivotal experience for Mitchell. Ever since that trip, she knew she wanted to work in the travel industry.

The daughter of an FBI agent, Mitchell was born in California and lived in 14 different states before moving to Fayetteville to attend the University of Arkansas.

In 1984, she received a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations from the UA and moved to Englewood, Colo., to work as marketing director of sales for Summit Tours. Two years later, she returned to Northwest Arkansas.

After working as manager of Around the World Travel in Springdale, Mitchell joined Design Travel of Rogers and has been there for the past 11 years.

Mitchell said her main focus in the travel business is customer service.

“Listen to the customer, satisfy the customer,” she said. “Find out what their wants and needs are and point them in the right direction.”

Mitchell is married to Vernon Mitchell and has two children: son, Matthew, 12; and daughter, Morgan, 7.