Charlie Clifford, Co-Founder of Tumi and CEO of Roam, on Revolutionizing the Luggage Industry Charlie Clifford, co-founder of Tumi, is no newbie to the travel industry. After all, ever since he created Tumi Luggage in the 1970s, he’s spent his days thinking about the business of travel — and what products we, as travelers, need to do it well. Although he’s no longer at Tumi, Clifford hasn’t left the world of luggage. But his latest venture, Roam, is decidedly different from its predecessor; rather than featuring the “black-on-black" luggage trend that Tumi is famous for, Roam puts an emphasis on bright colors, made-in-the-U.S.A. manufacturing and full suitcase customization, even down to the trim, zippers and wheels. Charlie Clifford In this episode of Humans of Travel, Clifford details his early life, from his upbringing in rural New Jersey to his first international adventure — a two-year term in the Peace Corps that opened his eyes to the wider world and eventually sparked the idea for Tumi Luggage.