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The Travel Career Connexxions Opportunities Newsletter
06/08/04 The only weekly newsletter detailing essential trends, news and top executive moves in travel. Opportunities is a free newsletter that provides you with the vision to "see" travel industry opportunities in the making. Whether you are in sales, business development, guiding your company's growth or managing your career, reading opportunities will give you the advantage to succeed. Opportunities is another innovative tool brought to you by Travel Career Connexxions. For more information, visit our main Travel Job resource page. This week in Opportunities:
Luxury Segment Resists Downturn To ensure that you always receive this newsletter and other communications from Travel Career Connexxions, please add our address to your Address Book (newsletter@travelcareerconnexxions.com). This will keep most email spam filters from misinterpreting and discarding these emails. Did you know? As of 6/08/04 there are 103 executive level travel jobs published in the Travel Career Connexxions employment report. Positions include Vice President of Marketing (6/08), Director of Luxury Product Development - Europe (6/07), Marketing Director (6/07), VP of Strategy and Planning (6/07), Director of New Business Development (6/01), VP Strategic Sales (5/19), CEO, Chief Marketing Officer and more. It only takes one person to fill the job of a lifetime - and that someone could be you! http://www.TravelExecutive.com OPPORTUNITIES NEWS & TRENDS! Bright Future Seen for Luxury Travel Companies If you're looking for a job in the travel industry these days, it may be best to stick to the high-end of the business. Luxury travel companies, from hotels to cruises to tour operators, have exhibited the strongest resistance to the downturn in travel over the past three years. These days, prospects in the luxury segment are even brighter. The latest Survey of Affluent Americans, conducted by the American Affluence Center, reportedly shows a positive attitude about the business climate in the next 12 months is contributing to strong vacation spending plans. The survey of the wealthiest 10 percent of all U.S. households--those with annual incomes averaging $270,000 and a minimum net worth of $750,000, one of the highest indexes of future confidence in business (an index of 109) ever recorded. In addition, the Affluent Consumer Expectation vacation spending index is at 112, a number that represents an average of the domestic vacation index (at 126, up from 105 last spring) and the international vacation index (at 97, up from 71 last spring). The overall vacation spending index is up 24 points from last spring. Roughly 89 percent of those surveyed said they will spend the same or more money on domestic travel in the next 12 months, while 72 percent said they will spend the same or more money on international travel. According to the survey, 15 percent said they planned to take at least one cruise during the next 12 months, which could mean good news for the luxury cruise segment. So if you're targeting travel companies for top jobs, think luxury hotels, cruises and tour operators. WTTC Showcases Tourism's Success Stories Want to know some of the travel industry's real success stories in tourism? The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) last week released case studies showing some of the world's best examples of the WTTC's "Blueprint for New Tourism" in action. The case studies feature successful development and delivery initiatives of leading travel organizations, which ensure benefits for customers, shareholders and hosting communities. The Blueprint for New Tourism, launched in October 2003, issued a call to action to both governments and the industry to make several long-term commitments to ensure the prosperity of travel and tourism--one of the world's largest industries, accounting for more than 200 million jobs worldwide and over 10 percent of global GDP. At the Fourth Global Travel & Tourism Summit, which took place in Doha, Qatar, last month, ministers of tourism, speaking on the ministers' panel, concluded that the private sector is better placed to initiate successful models of travel & tourism development than governments. They also concurred that it was up to the private sector to drive such initiatives forward and up to the public sector to support these initiatives and work in synergy with the industry. The case studies released by WTTC, which can be viewed by visiting www.wttc.org, answer directly to this call and are an important first step in WTTC's aim to promote public-private synergy in sustainable travel and tourism development across the world. Featured examples include: Abercrombie & Kent Global Foundation; Emirates Al Maha Desert Resort; InterContinental Hotels Group PLC; Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok; Mexico Tourism Board; Qatar Tourism Authority; Taj Group of Hotels; TUI A.G.; and Wilderness Safaris. Merger Bid in Vegas Could Mean Job Upheavals In a merger bid that rocked the gaming world, MGM Mirage on June 4 offered to purchase Mandalay Resort Group for $68 per share in a cash transaction, the value of which would be approximately $7.65 billion, including the assumption of some $2.8 billion in debt. MGM Mirage Chairman Terry Lanni said the combination of the two companies would provide Mandalay shareholders with a premium price for their shares as well as providing several strategic benefits to shareholders in MGM Mirage. In a terse release, Mandalay Resort Group said it had received and would carefully evaluate MGM Mirage's proposal and would respond in due course. It said it would make any further comment on the bid until it is finally resolved. Four years ago, MGM successfully bid for the Mirage Group, creating one of largest gaming companies in the world. If MGM Mirage is successful in its bid, the company would dominate the Las Vegas scene, owning such casino resorts as Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur, Circus Circus, MGM Grand, Mirage, Monte Carlo, Treasure Island and Bellagio, among others. Of course, what the bid could mean for the job picture in Las Vegas is even more interesting. While individual properties will still need general managers and high-level sales and marketing staff, MGM Mirage's bid clearly could impact just who remains in a merged company. Most of the high-level executive staff from Mirage Resorts are no longer part of the combined MGM Mirage. And even if the MGM Mirage bid does not succeed, other companies may be brought into the bidding process. Whatever happens, this is not likely to be short bidding battle. Summer Travel Hit By Escalating Gas Prices We've given you some very optimistic surveys touting the travel industry's prospects over the past several weeks, but it's not all good news. The rising cost of gasoline is likely to affect the travel plans of a majority (56 percent) of U.S. leisure travelers in the months ahead, according to a new national poll released by Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, the travel marketing, advertising and public relations firm headquartered in Orlando. The poll of 803 active travelers was conducted May 25-27. According to the survey: 56 percent of respondents agreed that the rising cost of gasoline would affect their summer vacation plans, while 24 percent said it would have no effect. The trend appears more likely to affect leisure travelers who drive rather than fly to their vacation destination, since only 30 percent of respondents agreed that the ticket fuel surcharges recently announced by several domestic airlines were likely to have a significant effect on their summer vacation plans. At the same time, 51 percent of respondents agreed that the current economic condition of their household would have a significant effect on their summer vacation plans; 32 percent of respondents agreed they would definitely re-evaluate their summer vacation plans if the price of gasoline increased to between $2.10 and $2.24 per gallon; an additional 19 percent agreed they would reevaluate their summer vacation plans if the cost reached $2.25 to $2.49 per gallon; and another 21 percent agreed they would re-evaluate their summer vacation plans if the cost reached $2.50 to $2.74 per gallon. So according to this survey, at least, the forecast for travel this summer, as well as potential job growth throughout the industry, could still depend on the price of a tank of gas. Branson Splits Choice for Planned U.S. Airline We've reported on Richard Branson's planned U.S. low-cost airline a few times over the last several weeks, mostly because of the jobs that could result when it is finally launched. Well, Branson has now selected two bases of operations for the as-yet-unnamed carrier, San Francisco as its hub and operational headquarters, and New York City as its business headquarters. Boston's Logan airport and Washington Dulles airport had both been in the running. The airline is expected to hire up to 3,000 workers in the next five years, mostly in the San Francisco area though high-level jobs will apparently be in New York, and flights are set to begin next year. Branson's Virgin Group would own 49 percent of the fledgling carrier, while a U.S. investor yet-to-be-named will hold the remaining 51 percent, allowing the company to comply with U.S. regulations on foreign ownership of U.S. airlines. The decision to locate the new airline's hub in San Francisco was reportedly helped by a $15 million offer of grants and job training assistance by San Francisco and the state of California. An offer of $11 million helped New York win the business headquarters. Fredrick Reid, a former Delta president, is leading the new Virgin carrier in the U.S. Branson also promised to finally unveil the new airline's name, although Virgin will most likely be part of it. A Travel Software Power Grows in Milwaukee Trisept Solutions, a Milwaukee-based travel industry technology company, recently hired 34 new software developers, project managers, software testers, Web developers and business analysts. For the past six months the company, an offshoot of Mark Travel Corporation, has been aggressively targeting new hires as part of an accelerated growth plan. The company, led by President John Ische, offers dynamic packaging software for online travel companies. TriSept's VAX VacationAccess leisure booking engine now has more than 62,000 agents registered and is used by many major wholesalers, resort companies and travel packaging companies. The Search Is On for TIA's New President Following the announcement by Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) President and CEO William Norman that he will retire Jan. 5, 2005, TIA National Chair Bruce Wolff said a search for a replacement is underway. "There is consensus that it will be a challenge to find another leader who can serve and represent TIA with Bill's high degree of excellence," Wolff said in a memo to the Board of Directors. "Thus, we have concluded that we should begin the search process immediately." Wolff has named a search committee consisting of current elected officers, past national chairs, and chairs of key board committees and national councils. Members of search committee, which held its first meeting on May 28, include Dawn Drew, vice president and publisher, National Geographic Traveler; Randy Garfield, executive vice president, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts; Adam Goldstein, executive vice president, Royal Caribbean Cruises; David Humphreys, president, Recreation Vehicle Industry Association; Nancy Landess, director, Iowa Tourism Office; and Barbara Richardson, vice president, sales and marketing, Amtrak. TIA National Chair Wolff is an ex-officio member of the committee. TIA has turned to PrestonClarke & Company, a search firm, to help it meet an ambitious goal of selecting a new president and CEO by the end of the summer. PrestonClarke Chairman Dennis Boyer, a long-time professional in the executive search field, will lead the search, having previously established the hospitality practices at such executive search firms as SpencerStuart and Heidrick & Struggles. Vail Resorts Unveils $500 Million Growth Plan Vail Resorts, the ski resort powerhouse, just keeps growing in Colorado-so more jobs could be in Vail's future. The company has officially kicked off $500 million in redevelopment projects in Vail Village and LionsHead with the groundbreaking of a new street-level park and an underground parking structure, located within walking distance of both the Vista Bahn Chairlift and Golden Peak base area. The groundbreaking marks the commencement of "Vail's New Dawn," a series of redevelopment projects in Vail Village and LionsHead totaling more than $500 million over the next five years. The goal is to help secure Vail's future as the preeminent ski resort in North America. The "Vail Front Door" project in Vail Village includes a new skier services facility at the base of the Vista Bahn Chairlift, a new spa and additional accommodations at the Lodge at Vail, new Lodge at Vail Chalets for purchase, and a luxury ski club. The redevelopment of LionsHead encompasses a new European-inspired pedestrian plaza and village complete with a RockResorts luxury resort hotel, new skier services, restaurants and shopping, an outdoor ice rink, enhanced streetscape, a new skier bridge and new residential opportunities. For more information, visit www.newvail.com. InterContinental Expands Hotels in the Americas Want to join a hotel company that just keeps on growing? InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), recently cited as the world's largest and most global hotel company, says it opened 23 hotels in March and April 2004, an addition of more than 2,809 rooms across the Americas. IHG also announced a seventh brand, Hotel Indigo, a lifestyle brand aimed at delivering an inclusive hotel experience in response to prevailing consumer trends. The first Hotel Indigo is scheduled to open in Atlanta by the end of 2004 and will have approximately 140 rooms. IHG's 23 openings include: Crowne Plaza's first property located in Virginia Beach, Va., with 149 rooms; three Holiday Inn hotels opening in London, Ontario, Canada, with 120 rooms; Chandler, Ariz., with 106 rooms and a 780 room property in; a Holiday Inn Sao Paulo, IHG's largest property in Latin America, and the fifth largest Holiday Inn hotel in the world; 17 Holiday Inn Express hotels located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with 56 rooms; Oceanside, Calif., with 58 rooms; Englewood, Colo., with 91 rooms; Atlanta, Ga., with 87 rooms; Danville, Ill., with 72 rooms; Marion, Ind., with 70 rooms; Salem, Mo., with 65 rooms; Archdale, N.C., with 71 rooms; Cooperstown, N.Y., with 74 rooms; Bowling Green, Ohio, with 73 rooms; York, Pa. with 132 rooms; Brookings, S.D., with 62 rooms; Commerce, Texas, with 59 rooms; Pharr, Texas, with 88 rooms; two properties in Salt Lake City, Utah, with 130 rooms each and Casper, Wyo., with 84 rooms. IHG also added a new brand with the purchase of Candlewood Suites, a mid-priced extended-stay brand, which just opened two properties, one located in Anaheim, Calif., with 152 rooms and the other located in St. Robert, Mo., with 100 rooms. IHG's brands now include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and Hotel Indigo. SRS-WorldHotels Debuts Latin America Growth Plan SRS-WorldHotels-the Americas plans to capitalize on the growing strength of the Latin American economy through a newly established business strategy focused on regional development, increased sales and new marketing programs. Specific elements of the company's new Latin American business strategy include a development plan calling for the addition of 24 new member hotels in the region by the end of 2007. Key destination and business travel markets under consideration include Mexico City, Mexico; Guatemala; Panama City, Panama; Lima, Peru; Asuncion, Paraguay; Montevideo, Uruguay; Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador; Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre, Brazil; and San Salvador, El Salvador. Currently, there are nine SRS-WorldHotels member hotels in the region in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay and Venezuela. New sales initiatives include proactive cross selling of member hotels in the region; site visits by sales personnel based in Brazil and Argentina to familiarize themselves with each property's unique selling proposition; joint sales calls with U.S.-based sales personnel to corporation and organizations in Miami, Fla., key Southeastern U.S. cities and New York City; and the creation of a brochure featuring Latin American member hotels that will be distributed globally. On the job front, SRS-WorldHotels-the Americas said it is looking to add two new sales and membership services professionals in Miami and Orlando, Fla., in the coming months. Marriott Opens JW Marriott Hotel in Denver Here's another brand that just keeps on expanding! Marriott International, Inc. on June 2 opened the JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek. The 11-story, 196-room luxury hotel is located at 150 Clayton Lane and will operate as a Marriott franchise managed by Sunstone Hotels and owned by a partnership consisting of WB Cherry Creek, L.L.C. and Sunstone Hotels. The JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek is part of the prestigious Clayton Lane development, which also includes Janus Funds' world headquarters and soon to open two-story Crate & Barrel, North Italian Restaurant, Bob's Steakhouse and John Atencio Jewelers. The hotel also offers 5,660 square feet of meeting space, including a 3,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom. By the end of September, the hotel will be home to The Spa at Cherry Creek, a 9,300-square-foot full-service day spa and salon, available for use by hotel guests and the public. Job of the Week: Disney Reservations Director We hear Walt Disney World is looking to hire a director of segment sales and services for its reservation center in Orlando, overseeing approximately 1,600 sales agents and support cast, as well as 60 salaried cast members. Disney reservations centers receive 11 million plus calls per year, handling consumers, travel agents and wholesalers. The ideal candidate would have extensive sales leadership within a high volume contact center environment, demonstrated development skills with specific emphasis on frontline leadership, and demonstrated ability to transform a high volume, "service-based" operation to a "high-powered sales culture." Experience within the travel and hospitality Industry is desired, but not required. The individual selected would report to George Kalogriids, vice president-travel operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Disney is offering a competitive salary package with stock options. Join Revenue Management Pros in Las Vegas There's still time to sign up for a June 16-17 conference to join pricing and revenue management executives from all sectors of the travel industry. Those executives and more will gather in Las Vegas for EyeforTravel's second annual Revenue Management and Pricing in Travel conference. This year's event will put a strong focus on the hospitality industry. In a series of presentations and roundtable discussion, hotel revenue management experts from the corporate, leisure and casino resort sectors will be looking at key drivers behind pricing, yield management, revenue optimization and channel management-all hot career paths for top travel industry executives. Topics to be covered in depth include price transparency, rate parity and multi-channel distribution and pricing strategies. On June 16, Apo Demirtas, senior director of revenue management at Hilton Hotels will outline the fundamentals of pricing in the hotel industry, and Ken Gifford, corporate director of revenue management at Omni Hotels will present the specific challenges for pricing and yield management in group business. They will then be joined by revenue management executives from Priceline and Best Western on a roundtable discussing the implications for revenue management when adopting a multi-channel, multi-partner distribution strategy. On June 17, Jimmy Shu, vice president-revenue management and distribution at the Kimpton Group will address the issues associated with adapting rate parity across all distribution channels. A second hospitality roundtable, including representatives from Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts, Worldres and Hotwire, will debate the successful integration of revenue management and marketing strategies, and how to get the balance right to ensure optimum profitability. In a special session this year, revenue management professionals from Las Vegas's leading casinos, including Harrah's, The Venetian, Paris and Rio, will discuss the revenue management challenges experienced in the casino resort sector. The event also features sessions covering airline and tour operator revenue management and pricing strategies, with speakers from Spirit Airlines, Mark Travel and NLG. To see a full agenda and list of speakers for the event, visit www.eyefortravel.com/rmusa2004. To register, either book online at www.eyefortravel.com/rmusa2004 or call 800-814-3459, ext. 302. OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS! AIRLINES: There's a top opening in the airline business after the departure of Paul Moreira, president and CEO of Caribbean Star Airlines, left the company June 1 to return to Canada "to pursue professional interests," according to R. Allen Stanford, the airline's founder and chairman of the board. The Antigua-based carrier expects to appoint a new CEO shortly. Edward Gilkes, general manager, commercial, and Gerald Fredericks, vice president, flight operations and technical services, are handling day-to-day operations on an interim basis. Caribbean Star serves 13 Caribbean destinations with 88 daily flights on 10 aircraft and has carried more than 1.5 million passengers since its founding in January 2000ÖDelta Air Lines promoted Captain Gary Beck, director-flight operations and chief pilot, to vice president-flight operations and chief pilot, effective immediately. Beck replaces Joe Kolshak, who was named Delta's senior vice president and chief of operations. Beck is responsible for the training, scheduling and management of Delta's 8,400 pilots and 500 flight operations staff and ground personnel. He will report directly to Kolshak. Beck began his airline career with Western Airlines in 1973 and served in a variety of management roles of increasing responsibility. He joined Delta in 1987 as a result of the Western merger and has held the positions of chief pilot-Los Angeles, general manager-flight operations and, most recently, director-flight operations and chief pilotÖNetJets, owned by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway, and a leader in the growing business of fractional ownerships of private jets, said Jerry Schlesinger has joined the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Schlesinger will assume responsibilities for NetJets financial and business process matters in North America and will be based at the company's operational headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Schlesinger will report directly to William Boisture, Jr., NetJets president. Schlesinger was most recently president and chief executive officer of Aerospace Products International, a leading provider of distribution and logistics solutions to the aerospace industry. Prior to that he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer and was a co-founder of SimuFlite Training International. CRUISES: Discovery World Cruises named Wendy Clayton to the newly created position of director of sales development, North America. Clayton previously was a district sales manager for Silversea Cruises. HOTELS & RESORTS: Stephen Bollenbach has officially been named co-chairman of the board (along with Barron Hilton), and continues as CEO of Hilton Hotels Corp. Bollenbach has responsibility for the company's operations, finance, legal, human resources, information technology and corporate affairs/investor relations functions. Matthew Hart is now president and chief operating officer after serving as executive vice president and CFO. Hart reports to Bollenbach, and has responsibility for all operational aspects of the company, including owned and managed hotel operations, franchising and brand development, the company's timeshare business and its architecture and construction function. Robert La Forgia is now senior vice president and CFO after serving as senior vice president and controller. La Forgia also reports to Bollenbach and has responsibility for the company's financial activities, including the project finance, asset management, treasury, tax, financial reporting and accounting functionsÖDonald Padgett has been named president of Pinehurst, the world-renowned resort, and site of the 2005 U.S. Open Golf Championship, effective July 1. Padgett will leave his position as general manager of Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, to move to Pinehurst. A PGA Professional, he has more than 30 years experience in the golf and country club industry. Padgett will report directly to Rich Beckert, executive vice president-resorts for ClubCorp, Pinehurst's parent company. Beckert said he conducted an extensive national search of executives in the golf and resort industries to fill the position at PinehurstÖSRS-WorldHotels-The Americas has named Maria Diez as regional director of sales for the Southeast region of the U.S., and Tom Moncho as manager of WorldEvents for the Americas. Diez will open a new regional sales office in Miami, where she will focus on increasing customer share and revenue by selling member hotels to key corporate, group and travel management segments. She will report to Shirley Perezic, senior director of sales for SRS-WorldHotels-the Americas. Most recently, Diez served as property manager for The Continental Group in South Florida, where she was responsible for the overall management of the company's condominium association. Prior to this, she was the general manager and director of sales and marketing for Raven Hotel Management in Miami Beach. Diez's job experience also includes several management positions at the Richmond Hotel and Century Hotel in Miami Beach, as well as the Hotel Delmonico and Mayflower Hotel in New York City. Moncho's key responsibilities include managing and developing targeted group, meeting and incentive accounts; prospecting and developing new opportunities through direct solicitation in North America for company-wide business; and participating in local and regional events and trade shows in the group segment. He will also report to Perezic. Before joining SRS-WorldHotels, Moncho worked for Rosenbluth International, where he was the senior meeting planner and hotel coordinator for clients Citibank and Colgate-Palmolive. Moncho also was the senior meeting planner for New York-based McCord Travel Management. Prior to this position, he managed group travel departments at Zenith Travel Management and Stevens Travel Management, and also served as a travel consultant at Kennedy Travel Interstate Hotels & Resorts, one of the nation's largest independent hotel management companies, said William Geiler has joined as executive vice president of acquisitions. In his new position, Geiler is expected to play a key role in the expansion of the company's portfolio of owned hotels. Geiler joins the company from Wyndham International, Inc., where, for the past eight years he held a similar position as senior vice president of acquisitions and development. During his tenure there, he closed more than $500 million in hotel real estate transactions and oversaw the execution of management and franchise agreements for approximately 40 hotels. Geiler also was senior vice president of development for hotel operator Remington Hotel Corporation, and from 1982 to 1994, was president and principal of G&H Investments, Inc., a real estate investment management and venture capital firm, which developed and acquired a portfolio valued at $200 million over a 12-year periodÖElliot Mills has joined the Outrigger Reef on the Beach in Oahu as director of operations. Mills is responsible for all areas of day-to-day management and operations for the 858-room beachfront hotel, including front office administration, housekeeping, engineering and guest services. Mills joins Outrigger with over 15 years of industry experience in full service hotel operations, condominium resort management and renovation project management. He has held key management positions with the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, Royal Lahaina Resort and Aston Hotels & Resorts Hawaii. His most recent position was as general manager of the Aston Coral Reef Hotel...Accor Asia Pacific has named Stephane Laguette as regional director Of sales and for a region consisting of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia and the Philippines. Laguette has more than 15 years experience in the hotel industry, principally with Le Meridien, in both a regional capacity and as a hotel based director of sales and marketing. Most recently he was area director of sales and marketing for Le Meridien Resorts ThailandÖInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has tapped Jim Anhut as senior vice president-brand development for the Americas. In this position, he will be responsible for shepherding the growth of new brands and business opportunities for IHG, including its recently announced seventh brand, Hotel Indigo. Anhut will report directly to Kirk Kinsell, senior vice president-Americas franchise and business development, and Tom Seddon, senior vice president, Americas brand management. Anhut most recently served as senior vice president-brand management for Staybridge Suites. He will continue overseeing the growth and management of the Staybridge Suites brand, until a brand manager is appointedÖCrestline Hotels & Resorts, Inc., announced the appointment of Deanne Johnson-Anderson to the post of corporate director of human resources. She will be responsible for all aspects of the human resources function including recruitment, hiring, benefits and training of Crestline personnel. Johnson-Anderson joins Crestline from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where she was an area director of human resources. She has more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry in both operations and human resources. TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY: Online travel company Orbitz, Inc. named Steve Tracas as president of Orbitz for Business, the company's full-service travel management program. Tracas will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Orbitz for Business including strategy, business development, technology and marketing, ensuring the continued growth of the company in the corporate travel segment. He will report to Jeff Katz, president and chief executive officer. Prior to joining Orbitz, Tracas served as vice president of sales and marketing for US Airways, where he led the team that developed usairways.com, was responsible for all corporate and agency sales, GDS, electronic commerce, and Global Cargo Sales and Operations. Tracas also held a number of management positions during his 19-year career with AMR Corp including positions with American Airlines and Sabre Group. Tracas served as managing director for Sabre Group, where he was responsible for GDS sales within the Western U.S. and the national account programÖMike Henderson has been promoted to vice president of marketing at StayOnline, Inc. Henderson has served as director of marketing for StayOnline, a provider of wireless technology for the hospitality industry, since 2000. Henderson manages all aspects of marketing for the company, which has its wireless high-speed Internet solution installed in nearly 300 hotels across North American in more than 30 hotel brands, as well as several unique boutique and historic properties. TRAVEL INSURANCE: MEDEX Global Group, a leading provider of emergency travel assistance and international medical insurance, has hired Bill Irwin, a former special agent with the Air Force, as its chief security officer. In addition to serving as the security director for two Fortune 500 companies, Irwin served as a Marine Rifle Platoon Sergeant in Vietnam and received a direct commission in the Naval Security Command. He then served as a special agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, with overseas assignments in protective services operations, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserve. MEDEX recently unveiled a funded security and political evacuation option to its service offering.
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