Names In The News 01-09

GetThere has hired two well-known business travel executives to support its growth in 2009 and beyond: Joan England, previously vice president of marketplace performance for Meeting Professionals International, will be vice president of sales for North America; Duane Futch, previously director of Wal-Mart's global travel division, comes on board as vice president of travel procurement strategy, providing advisory services to clients, prospects and agency resellers, helping travel professionals analyze programs from a procurement perspective and devising configurable solutions that leverage GetThere's automation and support infrastructure. Both executives report directly to GetThere president Chris Kroeger.