The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) has appointed four new members to the Board of Trustees of the NBTA Foundation, NBTA's education and research foundation.
The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) has appointed four new members to the Board of Trustees of the NBTA Foundation, NBTA's education and research foundation. They are Jeff Cacy, managing director of airline marketing services for The Boeing Company; Michael Fegley, vice president of global sales for InterContinental Hotels Group; Sharon Fogarty, director of travel services at Thomson Reuters; and Steve Schoen, director of mobility services at Siemens Shared Services, LLC. The appointments are each for two years. They succeed
Bindu Bhatia, vice president of global sales in North America for Carlson Wagonlit Travel; Mary Casey, vice president of strategic account management at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; Denise Lodrige-Kover, vice president of business travel services and strategic partnership accounts at Hilton Hotels Corporation; and Norma Rohrbach, vice president of global services sourcing at Citi.
The Institute of Travel Management UK & Ireland (ITM) board of directors has appointed Fay Sharpe chairman of its newly-created Meetings & Events Working Party. Sharpe, an existing ITM board director, is tasked with managing a cross section of meetings & events stakeholders to drive content and membership from the sector into the association to fulfil the requirements of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Events) buyers and suppliers. The move coincides with the ITM board's unanimous decision to change the association's name at the AGM in 2009 to reflect the consolidation of the travel and meetings sectors. Sharpe, the joint managing director of Zibrant and a recognized leader in the sector, was brought into the ITM board to provide a perspective to Meetings & Events and will lead the working party to create a Meetings & Events Toolkit with definitions of different parts of the MICE process, information on measuring spend and identifying stakeholders within organizations. The working party will also seek to bring together under one roof the work done by other associations representing different elements of the sector and to create better links with these organizations. The output from the group will be targeted across three member levels: those new to procuring meetings & events, established buyers who have been dealing with the sector for a few years but want to ensure best practice; and those considered pioneers. The association also intends to recreate its Meetings & Events Breakfast Forums, established for the first time in November, for buyers of different levels to discuss issues and solutions.
Utah BTA's 2008 president, Debbie Welder of CHG Healthcare Services, presented year-end awards to three members in recognition of their leadership skills and tireless efforts on behalf of the Association over the past year.
Welder presented the "Presidents Award" to Kathy Goodliffe, director of travel management for Intermountain Healthcare. Goodliffe, who has worked in the business travel industry most of her life, "has shaped travel all over the state of Utah," according to Welder. While dedicated to her company, Goodliffe has been involved in business travel issues and improvements on the local and national levels.
Kathleen Roberts, business development manager for Christopherson Business Travel, was presented the "Allied Member of the Year" in recognition of the "incredible job" she has done since becoming membership chair last January. Roberts has increased membership levels more during her short tenure than any other previous period, according to Welder, who says Roberts will continue in that role through 2010.
The "Direct Member of the Year" award was presented to Nate Burt, travel administrator for IM Flash Technologies. "Nate has totally involved himself with the activities and educational opportunities offered by UBTA," says Welder. He has applied for and won a UBTA Education Scholarship, attended the National Business Travel Association Convention last July (where he earned his Certified Travel Expert designation) and began a two-year term as the Utah BTA technology chair last month.
San Diego BTA elected Leigh Kramer, RG North America, to serve as president for another one-year term. Kramer will be assisted by the following officers: Gretchen Grossman — Hornblower Cruises and Events as executive vice president/secretary; and Joe Preimesberger — SAIC as vice president/treasurer. Directors are Chris Dalton with Enterprise Rent-A-Car as director of membership; Toni Mecaro with American Express Business Travel as director of education; Mary Ellen Hamor with Helms Briscoe as director of programs; Maggie Curella with Fair Isaac as director of event registration; Mary Motycka with Inverness Medical as director of direct members; Jessica Davis with SDG&E as director of special events/volunteers; Erik Mueller with GRASP Technology as director of technology; Michelle Rossow with Manchester Grand Hyatt as director of communication/public relations; Carol Reed with Balboa Travel as director of sponsorships; and chairperson Luisa Tattoli Germain with Air France.
The Institute of Travel Management UK & Ireland (ITM) expects to name a new chairman for the South East Region following the resignation of Linda Elsdon, who has left her position at Merrill Lynch. Elsdon will continue in a caretaker role until a successor is found. However, ITM rules stipulate that since she is not seeking to continue working in travel management as a full-time buyer, she must be replaced. ITM's regional committees are responsible for driving regional networking events and attracting membership. The board is also presently considering a series of low-key educational events in the regional base to build on the success of the "Inside the Mind of a Buyer" program run for the first time at the 2008 conference. The new SE Regional Chair would therefore also be responsible for rolling out this program if trials are successful.