What Jo-Ann Masters misses most about her native Australia are the beaches and the clear blue sky. On the other hand, she loves American baseball.

“I grew up playing baseball in Alice Springs, a small town in the heart of Australia with a large population of Americans, so I was one of the lucky ones,” says Masters. She joined SoftBrands in 2000 as general manager of Australia and moved into global services and support in 2004.

Masters, who led the SoftBrands team that won the company's single-largest sale of a service application (CRM, CRS and PMS to Red Roof Inn), manages the worldwide hospitality division. She oversees sales, operations and product development, reporting to president/CEO Randall B. Tofteland.

The biggest difference, according to Masters, between the Americas and Australia is the size of the markets. “There are a lot more opportunities in the Americas. In Australia, it's a mix of chains and independents, but to be successful I think you need to be in the chains,” says Masters.

Masters began her hospitality career at 18, working in the finance division of a group of hotels in Australia and quickly found herself working in the front-office division, becoming a general manager at 21.