Best Startup
At Best Startup US we track over 1,000,000 US startups and over 3 million people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United States based President operating in the Travel space. If you think a President is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.us.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Jeffrey Manber
President International & Space Stations of Voyager Space Holdings
Jeffrey Manber is founder of XO Markets and President Internationaland Space Stations at Voyager Space Holdings.
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About Voyager Space Holdings, XO Markets: Voyager Space Holding is an aviation and aerospace company that specializes in the space exploration industry.
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Eric Stallmer
Executive Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy of Voyager Space Holdings
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About Voyager Space Holdings: Voyager Space Holding is an aviation and aerospace company that specializes in the space exploration industry.
Dave Harris
Vice President, Digital Strategy & Customer Experience of Carnival Cruise Line
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About Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line offers an online platform that enables travelers to plan and book cruise tours from a range of packages.
Jay Casey
President & Co-Founder of Intellectus Partners, LLC
Experienced investor and financial professional working in various roles; including Venture & Private Equity investing, Portfolio Management, Trading, and Client Relationship Management. Experienced investor in Fixed Income, Equities, Commodities, Hedge Funds, Private Equity, and Private companies. Previous experience with First Union, Manulife Financial, Lehman Brothers, Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown, and currently Intellectus Partners.
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About Intellectus Partners, LLC: Intellectus is an exclusive, private MFO for Entrepreneurs offering Wealth Creation&Preservation,Investment Mgmt, Venture & startup Advisory
David Young
Senior Vice President USA of Victor
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About Victor: Victor is a London, UK-based private jet charter marketplace.
M. Erik Mueller
President and chief executive officer of Grasp Technologies
Erik founded Grasp Technologies in 1996. Since then, he has become a leading expert in the field of travel technology. Along with the team at Grasp, Erik has created countless solutions for travel agencies and corporate travel departments worldwide. He is responsible for creating the first automated Graphic Reporting System for the travel industry and is considered the foremost industry expert on data consolidation and visualization. In addition to his role as Grasp’s President and CEO, Erik also manages Creative Computer Resources, a top-notch information technology firm. He serves on San Diego Business Travel Association board, and frequently contributes to articles for industry publications and blogs.
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About Grasp Technologies: Grasp Technologies provides data management, visualization, and payment solutions in the travel and entertainment industry.
David Liakas
Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships of Huvr Inc.
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About Huvr Inc.: Huvr is a global virtual marketplace that helps to connect human walkers to virtual travelers to explore the world in real-time.
Jason Rimokh
President of Signal Brands
With more than 15 years of experience, Jason Rimokh’s passion, leadership and operational insight has strengthened Signal Brands’ culture of handbag design. Along with his father, Jack, he has expanded the company to new markets and enhanced its product portfolio. Jason is responsible for the company’s global presence and oversees its corporate relations.
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About Signal Brands: Signal Brands is a manufacturer, distributor of licensed fashion handbags, small leather goods and luggage.
Michael Elkins
Vice President of Red Ventures
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About Red Ventures: A portfolio of influential brands, digital platforms, and strategic partnerships that help people make life’s most important decisions.
Jim Cantrell
CEO & President of Phantom Space
Co Founder of Vector Space building launch and orbital platforms to enable non expert users to develop space apps using our reliable space transportation system and orbital platforms. Founder of StratSpace, a 50 person consulting firm headquartered in Tucson Arizona specializing in helping venture capital firms make profitable investments in the technology sectors and corporations grow and transition into successful acquisition targets. On founding team of SpaceX with internet pioneer Elon Musk developing technical concepts, markets and standing up the company including developing the overall corporate and product development strategy. Co-Founder of Phantom Space Corporation offering satellites, in space propulsion and launch vehicle technologies. Founder of Vintage Exotics Competition Engineering who develops products for vintage and modern race cars, restores vintage race cars and Italian exotics, provides engineering services to race teams and leads our own endurance race team which holds many awards and track records.
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About Phantom Space, Vintage Exotics Competition Engineering: Phantom Space focuses on space transportation technology including satellites, propulsion, and launch vehicles.
Alejandro Reynal Ample
President, CEO of Apple Leisure Group
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About Apple Leisure Group: Apple Leisure Group is a vacation services company providing all inclusive vacation packages.
Luc Bondar
Vice President – Loyalty of United Airlines
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About United Airlines: United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 5,000 flights each day to more than 370 destinations throughout the world.
Michael Quiello
Vice President – Corporate Safety of United Airlines
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About United Airlines: United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 5,000 flights each day to more than 370 destinations throughout the world.
Linda Jojo
Executive Vice President, Technology & Chief Digital Officer of United Airlines
Linda Jojo joined Rogers as Executive Vice President, ITS and Chief Information Officer in July, 2011.Linda brings a wealth of experience leading complex IT organizations. Prior to joining Rogers, she was Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Energy Future Holdings Corporation in Dallas, TX. From 2004-2008, Linda was the SVP & CIO at Flowserve, and spent nearly 15 years at General Electric, including CIO, GE Silicones. Linda started her career at Digital Equipment Corporation. She and her teams have received industry recognition, including 21st Centurys Achievement Award in 2003 & 2010, CIO 100 awards for transformation and innovation in 2007, 2008 & 2010, and has been named to the InformationWeek 500 several times.Linda holds a bachelors degree in computer science and a masters degree in industrial engineering, both from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY.
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About United Airlines: United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 5,000 flights each day to more than 370 destinations throughout the world.
Joshua Lowton
Vice President Sales of Surf Air
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About Surf Air: Surf Air is a membership airline that offers first-class travel on executive aircraft.
Calvin Siemer
Senior Vice President Global Human Resources & Labor of Las Vegas Sands
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About Las Vegas Sands: Las Vagas Sand Crop is a developer of mobile applications. They have been developing applications regarding Travel for providing
Randy Hyzak
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Las Vegas Sands
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About Las Vegas Sands: Las Vagas Sand Crop is a developer of mobile applications. They have been developing applications regarding Travel for providing
Andrew Abboud
Senior Vice President of Las Vegas Sands
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About Las Vegas Sands, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas | Las Vegas Sands Corp.: Las Vagas Sand Crop is a developer of mobile applications. They have been developing applications regarding Travel for providing
Robert Brewer
Senior Vice President, Chief Audit Executive of Las Vegas Sands
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About Las Vegas Sands: Las Vagas Sand Crop is a developer of mobile applications. They have been developing applications regarding Travel for providing
Daniel Briggs
Senior Vice President Investor Relations of Las Vegas Sands
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About Las Vegas Sands: Las Vagas Sand Crop is a developer of mobile applications. They have been developing applications regarding Travel for providing
Joseph Erickson
Senior Vice President Global Controller of Las Vegas Sands
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About Las Vegas Sands: Las Vagas Sand Crop is a developer of mobile applications. They have been developing applications regarding Travel for providing
Gayle Hyman
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs of Las Vegas Sands
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About Las Vegas Sands: Las Vagas Sand Crop is a developer of mobile applications. They have been developing applications regarding Travel for providing
Giorgos Zacharia
President of KAYAK
Giorgos Zacharia is the President at KAYAK, and runs the company technology, product, marketing and commercial teams. He has a PhD in Computer Science from MIT and was an MIT Fulbright Scholar. Zacharia previously served as co-founder, CTO and Chief Scientist of Open Ratings, Inc., a leading provider of supply risk management solutions. Zacharia was also instrumental in co-founding two machine learning-driven hedge funds, Stocknomics Ltd. and Emporics Capital Management, LLC. He holds four math and computer science degrees from MIT and has won five medals in International Mathematical and Physics Olympiads.
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About KAYAK: KAYAK helps millions of travelers around the globe make confident travel decisions.
Siba Padhi
President & CEO of OrbitBeyond
Siba Padhi is a tech start-up professional with over 20 years of multi-functional experience. He has an extensive background as an executive of several multinational companies in the technology and telecommunications industries. He is the founder and ex-chief executive officer of Agnicient Technologies, a technology product and services firm that he successfully led to revenues of more than $100 million.
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About OrbitBeyond: OrbitBeyond is an American lunar transportation startup and a core infrastructure provider for all things beyond earth-orbit.
Joe Fraiman
Co-Founder and President of Lyric
Joe is a Founder & President of Lyric. He is a professional nomad, adventure traveler, a certified BBQ judge, and interior design junkie. Over the last 15 years he’s lived in countless apartments across the country — and he obsessively designed each one. Along the way he hiked 1000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, crossed Asia on the Trans-Siberian Railway, and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Joe has worked in construction in Alaska, developed top-secret defense software in San Diego, and raised money for the world’s largest hedge fund in Connecticut. He studied computer science and philosophy at Dartmouth College and NYU.
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About Lyric: Lyric is a tech and data-powered real estate and lifestyle hospitality company for the modern business traveler.
Steven Hattem
Executive Vice President & Managing Director – USA of Dreamlines
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About Dreamlines: Dreamlines is an online travel company that selling cruises.
Gary Spitalnik
Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Wheels Up
Gary Spitalnik is the co-founder and executive vice president of Wheels Up. Prior to co-founding Wheels Up, Gary served as the SVP of event marketing and special projects at Marquis Jet/NetJets.
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About Wheels Up: Wheels Up is a membership-based private aviation company that focuses on reducing upfront cost to fly privately.
John Colucci
Executive Vice President- Founding Partner & President Wheels Up Europe of Wheels Up
John Colucci is the president of Wheels Up Europe.
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About Wheels Up: Wheels Up is a membership-based private aviation company that focuses on reducing upfront cost to fly privately.
Paul D. DeAngelo
Co-Founder and President of DBi Services
Paul D. DeAngelo is the Co-founder and President of DBi Services, headquartered in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. DBi Services was founded in 1978 by Paul and his brother Neal and has since grown over the past 35+ years to an international corporation, which exceeds $200 million in revenue annually. Today, DBi Services and its affiliated companies serve clients across the United States and throughout the world from over 60 locations. DBi Services is primarily involved in all types of transportation infrastructure management, operations and maintenance. As President of DBi Services, Paul is responsible for the success of all infrastructure contracts. In addition, Paul provides guidance to DBi Services staff for the management of key accounts. His vision and leadership sets the direction to identify new business prospects and further possibilities for diversification and expansion of the company. Paul served on the Board of Directors for the National Railroad Contractors Association (NRCA) for 10 years, and is a Chairman and past President, as well as a founding member of the Association for the Management and Operations of Transportation Infrastructure Assets (AMOTIA). He is also an active member of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), the Florida Department of Transportation Liaison Committee and the Washington DC Task Force on transportation asset management.
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About DBi Services: Founded in 1978, DBi Services is a world leader in transportation infrastructure operations and maintenance.
Dermot Quigley
Executive Vice President of Development & Product Integration of Tourico Holidays
Dermot joined Tourico Holidays in 2006, to develop the New York City market after a Revenue Management career with Fitzpatrick Hotels and Marriott Execustay. After establishing Tourico as the #1 Wholesale operator in the city, Dermot’s role expanded to manage the Product Development team globally. Today, he is responsible for the strategic development of the company’s high value product negotiations, including risk agreements and global commercial contracts. Dermot holds a Bachelors of Business Administration and Psychology from Washington College, and a Master’s Degree with Distinction in Hotel Management from Cornell University.
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About Hotel Trader, Tourico Holidays: Tourico Holidays is a travel distribution company that contracts directly with travel providers, such as hotels, flights, cruise lines.
Rachel Obenshain
President, Co-Founder of Xeniapp Inc
Rachel Obenshain is an entrepreneur and investor. She has nearly 20 years of professional investing experience in public and private equity, with a focus on the Travel, Leisure, and Consumer Products sectors. She co-founded two hedge funds, including Lodge Hill Capital, which ultimately grew to $1 billion in assets under management. Obenshain has also held executive positions at leading investment firms including Alliance Bernstein (portfolio manager), Citadel (senior consumer analyst), Chilton Investment Corp (vice president), and GTCR Golder Rauner (associate). She earned her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wellesley College. She joined Xeniapp in 2019, initially as an advisor, and subsequently as a co-founder and executive team member, helping Xeniapp to design, develop and build its white label and payments businesses.
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About Xeniapp Inc: Operating System for Travel
Neal Zamore
Senior Vice President, Global Digital Customer Experience of Avis Budget Group
Neal Zamore is the SVP Global Digital Customer Experience for Avis Budget Group, where he is charged with creating a uniform digital strategy and customer experience for Avis and Budget brands globally. Neal’s first role at Avis Budget Group was Vice President, Consumer Marketing & CRM, where as the General Manager for North America Avis, Budget, Budget Truck, and Payless brands he created digital, mobile, and traditional marketing programs that built the brand footprint while optimizing profitability and cutting conversion costs. Prior to joining Avis Budget Group, Neal was Vice President, Strategic Marketing Initiatives for Cigna. In just one year, he created several first-ever tools and strategies including an enterprise campaign management system, a purchase predictability model, and a new website to increase brand footprint and maximize retail marketing penetration. Previously, Neal spent three years at Allianz Global Investors, where as Senior Vice President, Director, eSolutions & Client Intelligence, he elevated their lead generation systems to a state-of-the-art portal and launched an award-winning public website which maximized efficiencies and drove sales growth. Earlier, as Vice President, Director of eCommerce & Distribution Technology for Oppenheimer Funds, Neal managed the strategy for the company website, email channels, and CRM. During his eight-year tenure, he developed the industry’s #1 financial advisory website and email newsletter and #2 shareholder website. Neal honed his skills in online and interactive marketing through several earlier roles with increasing responsibility at Arthur Anderson, Met Life, and GE Capital. He also founded two web design and data management companies at the beginning of his career. Neal earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He currently lives in New Jersey.
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About Avis Budget Group: Avis Budget Group offers professionals and individuals with vehicle rental and sharing services.
Ohad Zeira
Vice President Fleet Ventures of Avis Budget Group
Ohad Zeira is the director of consumer IoT at [Verizon Communications](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/verizon), a broadband and telecommunications company. He also serves as an advisor at [Internet of Things Consortium](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/internet-of-things-consortium#/entity). Prior to that, he served and carried out his services as the head of WeMo at [Belkin International](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/belkin-international#/entity). Zeira is also known to have specialized in many fields such as consumer-driven design, outside-in innovation, new venture structuring, acquisitions, foresight, emerging technology marketing, licensing and negotiation, technology partnerships, and profit and loss management. Being a degree holder in operations research, which was obtained from [Cornell University](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/cornell-university#/entity), Zeira also holds a master’s degree in strategy and finance from [UCLA Anderson](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/ucla-anderson-school-of-management#/entity). Zeira resides in New York, United States.
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About Avis Budget Group: Avis Budget Group offers professionals and individuals with vehicle rental and sharing services.
Buddy Altus
Vice President Sales Support & Distribution of Avis Budget Group
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About Avis Budget Group: Avis Budget Group offers professionals and individuals with vehicle rental and sharing services.
Jeff Kaelin
Vice President Product Development of Avis Budget Group
Jeff Kaelin has been involved with the transportation industry for more than 25 years. Since joining Avis Budget Group in 1994, he has held various roles with increasing responsibility across operations, information technology, customer experience, strategy, marketing and most recently, product development within the innovation organisation. Jeff’s current focus is helping to shape Avis Budget Group’s position in the evolving mobility landscape through the development and growth of the Company’s rapidly growing Global Connected Car and Self Service Products. These products deliver new capabilities transforming customer experiences, rental operations and brand positioning delivered through global cross-functional teams.
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About Avis Budget Group: Avis Budget Group offers professionals and individuals with vehicle rental and sharing services.
John Kim
President of VRBO
John Kim is the President, Platform & Marketplaces at Expedia Group.
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About Expedia, VRBO: VRBO provide an online space for homeowners to advertise their vacation properties for travelers worldwide.
Glenn Fogel
President and CEO at Booking Holdings and CEO at Booking.com of Booking Holdings
As Booking.com’s Chief Executive Officer, Glenn D. Fogel is responsible for the global strategy and operations of Booking.com, including the management of all business units within the organisation. Glenn also serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com and other digital brands, a position he has held since January 2017. Prior to his current roles, Glenn served as Booking Holdings’ Head of Worldwide Strategy and Planning, where he led major strategic initiatives including the key acquisitions of Booking.com, KAYAK, OpenTable, RentalCars.com and Agoda.com. He also served as the Executive Vice President of the Corporate Development division, responsible for worldwide mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances. Prior to joining Booking Holdings in February 2000, Glenn was a trader at a global asset management firm and prior to that, he began his career as an investment banker specializing in the air transportation industry. Mr. Fogel is a retired member of the New York State Bar. Fogel is a graduate of Harvard Law School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
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About Booking Holdings, Booking.com: Booking Holdings provides online travel and travel-related reservation and services.
Peter J. Millones, Jr.
Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Booking Holdings
Peter J. Millones is our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Mr. Millones has been our General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since January 2001, and Executive Vice President since April 2003. He previously served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel from March 2000 to January 2001. Prior to that, Mr. Millones was with the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP.
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About Booking Holdings: Booking Holdings provides online travel and travel-related reservation and services.
Ken Romaniszyn
President of Lady M Confections Co.
Ken Romaniszyn is the president of confectionery provider, Lady M.
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About Inc. CEO Project, Lady M Confections Co.: Lady M provides confectioneries and pastries sold via online.
Evan Licht
President of Operations of BLADE
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About BLADE: BLADE is an application that provides short-distance flight management solutions to its clients.
Melissa Tomkiel
President of Fixed Wing Operations of BLADE
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About BLADE: BLADE is an application that provides short-distance flight management solutions to its clients.
Derek Kerr
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of American Airlines
Derek Kerr is chief financial officer for American Airlines Group and its principal subsidiary company, American Airlines. Kerr oversees financial planning and analysis, corporate finance and treasury functions, purchasing, controller and audit functions and investor relations. Previously, Kerr served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for US Airways, a role that he began in 2009. Prior to that, he was senior vice president and chief financial officer. He joined America West in 1996 as senior director, planning, and was promoted to vice president, financial planning and analysis, in 1998. In 2002, Kerr was promoted to senior vice president, finance, adding responsibility for purchasing and fuel administration. Prior to joining America West, Kerr served in various financial planning and analysis positions with Northwest Airlines. Previously, Kerr was a flight test coordinator/control engineer with Northrop Corporation’s B-2 Division. In 2013, Institutional Investor ranked US Airways as one of America’s Most Honored Companies, naming Kerr and his investor relations department to the 2013 All-America Executive Team. Kerr has a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering and a Master of Business Administration in finance from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He serves on the board of directors for the Fiesta Bowl, University of Michigan Alumni Association and the Phoenix Zoo.
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About American Airlines: American Airlines focuses on providing travel experience across the globe.
Stephen Johnson
Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs of American Airlines
Stephen Johnson is executive vice president, corporate affairs, for American Airlines Group and its principal subsidiary company, American Airlines. He is responsible for American’s corporate and legal affairs, government and regulatory affairs, labor relations, real estate and airport affairs, and for outreach to the business communities in cities that American serves. Previously, Johnson served as executive vice president, corporate and government affairs, for US Airways. Prior to joining US Airways, Johnson was a partner at Indigo Partners LLC, a private equity firm specializing in acquisitions and strategic investments in the airline, air finance and aerospace industries and responsible for the development of Tiger Airways, Spirit Airlines and Wizz Air. Johnson was with Indigo from 2003 until 2009 and serves as director of Wizz Air Holdings PLC. Between 1995 and 2003, Johnson held a variety of positions with America West Holdings Corporation prior to its merger with US Airways Group, including executive vice president, corporate. Prior to joining America West, Johnson served as senior vice president and general counsel at GPA Group, PLC. He was also an attorney at Seattle-based law firm Bogle & Gates, where he specialized in corporate and aircraft finance and taxation. Johnson earned his Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from California State University, Sacramento.
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About American Airlines: American Airlines focuses on providing travel experience across the globe.
Scott Chandler
Vice President Revenue Management of American Airlines
Scott Chandler is a Managing Director in the Revenue Management department at American Airlines. His team has the mandate to develop, build and maintain industry-leading revenue management forecasting, optimization, revenue integrity, and decision support tools and processes. Prior to joining revenue management in 2010, he had spent 14 years in the operations research group at American Airlines and was a key researcher in the implementation of the O&D revenue optimization and forecasting system for the airline. He has a bachelor’s in economics and an master’s in operations research from the University of Texas at Austin.
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About American Airlines: American Airlines focuses on providing travel experience across the globe.
Scott Kirby
President of American Airlines
Scott Kirby is president of American Airlines Group and its principal subsidiary company, American Airlines. Kirby oversees American’s operations, planning, marketing, sales, alliances and pricing/yield management. Previously, Kirby served as president of US Airways, where he oversaw the airline’s operations, including flight operations, safety and regulatory compliance, maintenance, inflight services, airport customer service and reservations. Kirby also oversaw the airline’s sales, marketing, alliances, pricing/yield management and scheduling. Prior to being named president in 2006, Kirby was US Airways’ executive vice president, sales and marketing, a position he held at America West Airlines prior to the two carriers’ 2005 merger. He joined America West in 1995 as senior director, scheduling and planning, and was promoted to vice president, planning, in 1997. Kirby was named vice president, revenue management, in 1998 and senior vice president, e-business, in early 2000. Prior to joining America West, Kirby worked for American Airlines Decision Technologies (AADT), a subsidiary of AMR Corp., and worked at the Pentagon prior to AADT. Kirby earned bachelor’s degrees in computer science and operations research from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a Master of Science in operations research from George Washington University.
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About American Airlines, United Airlines: American Airlines focuses on providing travel experience across the globe.
Will Ris
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs of American Airlines
Will Ris is senior vice president, government affairs, for American Airlines Group and its principal subsidiary company, American Airlines. In this role, he is responsible for global government and regulatory affairs and public policy. Previously, Ris served as senior vice president, government and regulatory affairs, for AMR Corporation and American Airlines. An attorney with broad experience in government and transportation, Ris has been American Airlines’ principal government affairs executive since July 1996. He is responsible for directing all activities on behalf of American with Congress, the administration and a broad range of federal agencies. Ris joined American in 1996 from the Wexler Group, a Washington, D.C.-based government relations firm, where he had been executive vice president. In that capacity, he had represented American as outside counsel for 13 years. Before his association with Wexler, he served as a trial attorney for the United States Civil Aeronautics Board from 1975 to 1978. In 1978, Ris was appointed counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and its Aviation Subcommittee. He served for five years, during which time he was the principal Senate legal counsel for the drafting of both the airline and trucking deregulation bills. Today, Ris serves as chairman emeritus of the board of directors of the Green Door, Inc., a nationally recognized organization that provides services for chronically mentally ill persons in Washington, D.C. Ris is also a member of the board of governors of Ford’s Theater in Washington, a member of the board of directors of the American Association of People with Disabilities and a member of the board of trustees for the Woolly Mammoth Theater in Washington. He is a long-standing board member of the Advanced Navigation & Positioning Corporation in Hood River, Ore., and chairman of its audit committee. Ris graduated from Northwestern University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in political science. He received a Master of Arts from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in 1971, a Doctor of Laws from the University of Denver College of Law in 1974 and a Master of Laws from Georgetown University College of Law in 1978.
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About American Airlines: American Airlines focuses on providing travel experience across the globe.
Ben Sardella
Vice President of Sales of AvantStay
Ben Sardella is the Vice President of Sales at AvantStay and previously was the Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of both Datanyze (acquired by ZoomInfo in 2018) & OutboundWorks (acquired by ConnectLeader in 2019). Ben started his career at NetSuite (IPO 2007), where he pioneered the SaaS sales process as the first sales rep. Ben has been a Founder, Investor, and Advisor for a number of successful startups leading to over 10 successful exits. Ben grew up in Dorchester and is a die-hard Boston sports fan and has an International Business Degree from Boston University as well as an MBA.
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About AvantStay, NextGen Venture Partners: AvantStay is a technology-first hospitality brand for experiential group travel.
Jordan Grossman
Executive Vice President, Advertising Sales of GasBuddy
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About GasBuddy: GasBuddy is a travel and navigation app that is used by more North American drivers to save money on gas.
Igor Bratnikov
Co-Founder, COO & President of Wanderu
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About Wanderu: Wanderu is a developer of a travel meta-search engine used to book inter-city buses and trains.
Brian Dass
Executive Vice President of SwitchForce
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About BookingForce, Rezglo, SwitchForce, Totality Platform, Wayaj, Wonder International Inc.: SwitchForce™ aims at becoming the world’s leading processor of transportation-related bookings by re-developing and operating an .
Ippei Takahashi
President & CEO – Founder of RideGuru
Ippei has worked in web development and sales roles for over 15 years in the high-tech industry. Since founding Unleashed, LLC in 2007, he has designed products, developed strategy for the company, and led various initiatives as a project manager. As a passionate entrepreneur, he continues to build the vision for Unleashed, LLC and its future products.
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About RideGuru: RideGuru is the trusted resource, tool, and community for everyone engaged in ridehails, rideshares, limos, and taxis.
McKay Featherstone
Vice President, Product Development & Engineering of Airstream
McKay Featherstone, 43, is Vice President of Product Development & Engineering at Airstream, Inc., which has produced the world’s most iconic travel trailers since 1931. Since its inception, the Airstream “silver bullet” has occupied a unique place in the hearts and minds of Americans. In recent years Airstream has experienced a global resurgence fueled by updated and innovative product designs, enhanced distribution, and brand collaborations. McKay has been in his current role since April, 2015. McKay has crafted business strategy and driven product development programs to significantly expand product offerings for both towable and motorized Airstreams. He has a love for the Airstream mission and a passion for creating amazing experiences for Airstream customers. Prior to his tenure with Airstream, McKay served as Vice President of Marketing at Evenflo, Inc, a leader in helping simplify parent’s lives and keeping children safe. McKay began his working career at Thomson Consumer Electronics, where he served in a variety of roles including Mechanical, Electrical, Acoustical and Systems Integration design and management. McKay has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, West Lafayette where he graduated with Highest Distinction and an MBA from Indiana University at Indianapolis where he was Valedictorian. McKay lives in the amazingly great Tipp City, OH, with his wife, Diana, and their two children Madison and Davis.
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About Airstream: Airstream is a travel company that specializes in trailers and touring coaches to help people wherever they go.
Scott Lehr
President of Orbital ATK
Mr. Lehr has 30 years of experience in the propulsion and space industry. Previously, he was the vice president and general manager of Orbital ATK’s Defense & Commercial Systems. In this role, he was responsible for strategic and missile defense propulsion programs including Trident II (D-5), Minuteman III Propulsion Replacement Program (PRP), Ground Based Midcourse Defense and missile defense targets. Lehr was also responsible for commercial propulsion programs for a number of launch vehicles including Atlas V, Delta II, Delta IV, Antares, Pegasus and Minotaur. Throughout his career, Lehr has held leadership positions in engineering, program management and operations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and a master’s degree in business administration from Westminster College.
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About Orbital ATK: Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies.
David Kallery
President of Inspirato
David Kallery is President at Inspirato.
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About Inspirato: Inspirato is an innovative luxury travel and lifestyle subscription company.
Brad Hall
Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurert of Carlson
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About Carlson: Carlson is a family-owned, global hospitality and travel company, operating brands, including Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu, and more.
Marcy Schackne
Vice President of Marketing of Travelpro Group
Marcy brings a depth of travel goods experience to the LongLat team. Her previous executive marketing roles with Travelpro, Heys USA, and 24-7 International, make her uniquely qualified to understand our market,” noted LongLat Inc. President, Gary Perella. “Marcy will be responsible for developing and implementing global marketing strategies and initiatives that will build the American Flyer, Jenni Chan, Isaac Mizrahi, Kathy Ireland, Body Glove, Ed Heck and future brands.”
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About Travelpro Group: Travelpro is leading marketer and supplier of high-quality luggage, assorted bags, and travel accessories.
Alan Catherall
CFO and President of AirSage
Alan B. Catherall is the President and Chief Financial Officer of AirSage.
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About AirSage: AirSage provides population location, movement, and traffic information based on wireless signaling data.
Jan Tissera
President International of TravelCLICK
Jan manages TravelClick’s Global Sales organization in the Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa regions. An experienced international hotelier and hotel industry consultant, Jan advises clients on how to maximize their performance in electronic distribution channels. Before joining TravelClick in 1996, he was the Director of Rooms/Reservations for Hyatt International, where he oversaw worldwide hotel reservations, global distribution, consortia marketing, revenue and rate management, guest recognition programs, and hotel room operations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. In this role, Jan was responsible for rapidly expanding Hyatt’s worldwide reservations offices and for attaining Hyatt International’s number one position in Global Distribution Systems (GDS) worldwide.
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About TravelCLICK: TravelClick provides e-commerce and revenue generating solutions.
Jeffry Stuek
Senior Vice President, Corporate Development of TravelCLICK
Jeff is responsible for leading Business Development and Corporate Marketing for TravelClick. He previously was the General Manger of TravelClick’s Global Reservations Solutions division leading strategy, execution, and product development. He brings more than 15 years of broad leadership experience in general management, sales, strategy and business development, capital markets, operations, and finance. Prior to joining TravelClick, Jeff served for ten years with Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) in a vast array of leadership roles. Most recently, he served as President of D&B Canada and Senior Vice President leading several US based divisions responsible for over $200M of sales. As the President of D&B Canada, Jeff led the successful turnaround of D&B’s Canadian market from a declining business to a double digit growth business with the leading market share. Before D&B, Jeff held several roles in Investment Banking, Private Equity and Corporate Banking with Banc of America Securities and Centura Capital. Jeff received his MBA and BS from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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About TravelCLICK: TravelClick provides e-commerce and revenue generating solutions.
Keith Rabin
President of JSX
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About JSX: JSX is an independent regional air carrier in the United States that describes itself as a “hop-on jet service”.
Brian Coulter
Vice President, Operations of JSX
Brian Coulter served as a General Duties-Pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and retired as a Squadron Leader after nearly 16 years of service. He flew helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, was a member of the formation aerobatic team, and was decorated with the Air Force Cross. Upon his departure from the Air Force, Brian was a Boeing-737 Captain and Director of Safety at Air South Airlines. Later, he became a startup member at WinAir Airlines and then JetBlue Airways, where he wrote a number of the early technical publications for flight operations and led JetBlue’s pioneering use of electronic flight bags. Brian was JetBlue’s Director of Flight Standards for five years, and held the number one seniority position as an Airbus A320 Captain for eight years. At JetSuite, Coulter is responsible for the conduct of all flight operations.
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About JSX: JSX is an independent regional air carrier in the United States that describes itself as a “hop-on jet service”.
Kush Parikh
President & Chief Executive Officer of PayByPhone Technologies
Kush Parikh is the President and CEO of PayByPhone, one of the fastest growing mobile payment companies in the world, processing over $300m annually across North America, Europe, and Australia. In late 2016, PayByPhone was sold to Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS), cementing their position as the largest cash free payment solution provider in the smart parking market. Prior to joining PayByPhone in 2014, Kush was the SVP and GM of business development at INRIX, the global leader in SaaS based traffic information services. He helped build INRIX from pre revenue to over 300 employees highlighted by major financings from Kleiner Perkins and Bain Capital. Before his time at INRIX, Kush held various leadership roles at Texas Instruments including corporate development, product marketing and business development for the wireless industry. He currently sits on the board of SightLife Surgical, the largest eye bank in the world and the only one dedicated to eliminating corneal blindness worldwide. Kush is also an active advisor in the connected car and fintech market domains. Kush holds a B.S.E.E from Penn State University and an MBA from the Duke Fuqua School of Business. He recently attended CMO Academy, an invitation only new economy marketing immersion jointly led by Google and Columbia Business School.
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About Hiya, PayByPhone Technologies: Part of the urban mobility suite of products offered by Paypoint covering parking, tolling, permits, and more!
Kyle Jepson
Vice President of Technology at Emerge of Emerge
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About Emerge: Emerge is web-based truckload management system that connects shippers and their partners when executing full truckload transactions.
Tom Griffin
President of iVeew
Tom Griffin is the President of iVeew, leading the Mobile Enterprise Application Platform for the travel and hospitality industry using iVeew iBeacon technology . His Internet application development career began in 1996 by creating a web application promoting condos and single-family homes available for rent. He also developed an online platform for property managers to manage their inventory. This technology was advanced for its time, allowing content to be syndicated to various online sites and then in 1999/2000 integrating content with Sabre Global Distribution System. This was a pivotal time when green screen technology was being migrated over to personal computers. In 1998, Tom launched ActivRez, the first web based Central Reservations System for destination marketing organizations, tour operators and CVBs. ActivRez incorporated air, lodging and activities into Passenger Name Record (PNR) with over 20,000 properties loaded. Tom sold ActivRez to an investor group in May 2001. In 2005, Tom started Travelscream, a white-label geo-located ad network for travel partners. His target clients were OTAs, Marriott, IHG, Wyndham, Starwood and Hilton and had over 60 websites white labeled with travel content. Travelscream was a global company with offices in the US as well as Beijing. Being global allowed Travelscream to take advantage of the major travel ad opportunities in the Oceana region as well as the balance of the world, with content syndication partners based in Europe and elsewhere. Tom stepped down from his position with Travelscream in March 2010 to begin working on Mobile Marketing and Engagement applications. What started as mobile based contextually animated games for businesses soon morphed into iVeew. Tom officially began development of iVeew in January 2011 with the rollout of an Enterprise platform for the travel and hospitality industry incorporating geo-fencing mobile applications and late last year after the announcement by Apple of iBeacons technology will occur July, 2014. Tom’s expertise in the online travel and hospitality industry often allows him to speak at major travel events and participate in panel discussions focusing on travel solutions at technology conferences around the world. He has sat on a number travel related advisory boards.
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About iVeew: SMS 2-way messaging, merchandising platform with over 76,000 local attractions Chatbots & Artificial Intelligence connected to Alexis
Richard Walsh
President- TM Dynamics of iVeew
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About : SMS 2-way messaging, merchandising platform with over 76,000 local attractions Chatbots & Artificial Intelligence connected to Alexis
Wei Jiang
President & Chief Operating Officer of Citcon
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About Citcon: Citcon is a mobile payment network that enables global merchants to accept payments from consumers.
James Douglas
President of Cabins USA
James Douglas is the president of Cabins USA.
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About Cabins USA: Cabins USA offers luxury cabin rental in the Smoky Mountains.
Michael Suffredini
Co-Founder, President & CEO of Axiom Space
Michael T. Suffredini is President. CEO and co-founder of Axiom Space, LLC. The Axiom Space vision is to make living and working in Earth orbit commonplace as a means to a robust economy in low Earth orbit. To realize this vision, Axiom is building the world’s first internationally available commercial space station to continue what the International Space Station (ISS) community of Nations has begun. Mr. Suffredini has 30+ years of experience in human spaceflight, and served as NASA’s ISS Program manager for a decade prior to his retirement in late 2015. As ISS Program manager, Mike was responsible for the development, assembly, operation and utilization of the 460-metric ton; permanently manned international orbiting laboratory complex. The 15-nation program is the largest international peacetime project in human history. During his tenure, Mr. Suffredini successfully lead the transition of the ISS program from a development and assembly focus to a research and commercial utilization focus, opening avenues for a new commercial marketplace in space. Mr. Suffredini is the recipient of numerous awards including the NASA Distinguished Service medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership medal, the National Air and Space Museum Trophy and the Yuri Gagarin Medal. In addition, Michael has had both the Rank of Meritorious Executive and Rank of Distinguished Executive conferred on him by the President of the United States.
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About Axiom Space: Axiom Space is the world’s leading commercial space station company.
Dave Mathews
Vice President of onedine
Inventor with more than 72 pending or granted patents, technology expert in print and television converged media and serial entrepreneur. Dave was on the early stage teams for Sling Media makers of the Slingbox, boxee.tv where he helped them win the 2008 iStage startup competition and inventor of the CueCat the first ever consumer barcode reader and “Shazam” for TV which Time magazine called one of the worst inventions of the decade. It is the most hacked consumer gadget to this day. Currently founder of NewAer, makers of a proximity platform – a SDK to make smartphones truly smart by automating actions to take place based upon a phone’s proximity with other people, places or things. NewAer has been called the operating system for the Internet of things by Fierce Wireless, one of the top 10 companies to watch in the mobile space and was winner of best technology in the inaugural LAUNCH competition, a spinoff of TechCrunch 50.
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About NewAer, onedine: onedine is pioneering guest-side technology solutions for the restaurant and hospitality industries
Patrick Goddard
President of Brightline Trains
Patrick is responsible for all aspects of Brightline’s current operating passenger rail system and future expansion efforts across the U.S. Prior to joining Brightline, Patrick was the president and chief operating officer for Trust Hospitality, an international owner, developer and operator of boutique and luxury hotels, many of which have been entrepreneurial and start-up ventures successfully launched in South Florida. Patrick grew this portfolio from 10 to 40 hotels over six years. Prior to that, he was the president and managing director of Ocean Blue Hospitality, a consultancy firm that specialized in hotel openings and sales, marketing and revenue management for independent hotels. While there, he successfully repositioned and managed many iconic South Florida hospitality venues including the Clevelander Hotel & Bar, the Raleigh Hotel, the Savoy Hotel and the Grand Beach Hotel. Patrick also held management positions with Rosewood Hotels, Loews Hotels in the United States and the Caribbean as well as Hilton Hotels, Jurys Hotels and other independent hotels and restaurants in Europe. Born and educated in Ireland, Patrick has a degree in hospitality management granted by Trinity College Dublin. He lives in Miami with his wife and two boys.
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About Brightline Trains: Brightline Trains provides passenger rail service.
Wendy Beck
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Norwegian Cruise Line
Wendy Beck joined Norwegian Cruise Line (NASDAQ: NCLH) in September 2010 bringing a high level of knowledge and expertise to Norwegian as a certified public accountant with more than 20 years of experience. As chief financial officer and executive vice president, Beck is responsible for all aspects of the company’s financial disciplines including finance, treasury, accounting, corporate and capital planning, internal audit, purchasing and investor relations.
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About Norwegian Cruise Line: Norweigian Cruise Line is a travel company that takes customers to exotic destinations using cruise ships.
Arup Nanda
Vice President and Chief Data Officer of priceline.com
Arup Nanda has been working in the Oracle technologies field for 25 years, spanning all aspects of data management: from modeling to performance tuning and data science. He is head of data at Priceline, in greater New York area. He has written 6 books, more than 700 articles and presented 500+ sessions in conferences in 25 countries. He blogs at arup.blogspot.com and is an Oracle ACE Director.
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About priceline.com: Priceline is a travel-related deal search technology enabling travelers to find travel and lodging deals and discounts.
Robert Wallstrom
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Vera Bradley
Mr. Wallstrom joined Vera Bradley in November 2013 as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to joining Vera Bradley, Mr. Wallstrom served as President of Saks Fifth Avenue’s OFF 5TH division from 2007 until November 2013. Previously, he was Group Senior Vice President and General Manager of Saks’ flagship New York store from 2002 to 2007, where he articulated a vision to return the store to its luxury heritage and dramatically improve merchandising, service and the in-store experience. During his five-year tenure at the New York location, he helped grow annual sales from $450 million to more than $600 million and was part of the team that designed and developed the iconic eighth floor shoe store – the first with its own zip code – setting the stage for highly productive relationships with key luxury manufacturers around the world. Prior to joining Saks, Mr. Wallstrom held a variety of roles of increasing responsibility at Macy’s Inc. from 1987 to 1995 and began his career in 1983 at J. W. Robinson department stores.
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About : Vera Bradley is a leader in fashionable, colorful, cotton quilted handbags, accessories, and paper and gift items for women of every age.
Annette Cumming
Vice President, Channel Sales of Deem
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About Deem: Deem is a technology platform for the business travel industry focusing on travel, car service, and expense solutions.
Ben Bressler
Founder & President of Natural Habitat Adventures
Ben was raised in New Jersey (he claims there are parts of Jersey that are absolutely beautiful, but he admits that he didn’t live in those parts) and received his higher education at Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY. Ben’s first short-lived job was teaching at a boarding school in New Hampshire where, he confesses, he was a dreadful teacher but he and the kids had a grand time playing soccer in the yard and listening to music in the dorm. During his one-year teaching career Ben took a group of students on a ski and outdoor adventure to Colorado and knew immediately that he was going to pursue a career in travel and nature. In 1984, not given to working for others (his experience with the Headmaster of the prep school was a disaster, for him and for the Headmaster), Ben decided to pursue his dreams independently. Saving $600 driving a garbage truck at an amusement park, he invested that undersized savings in typing (on an antiquated standard typewriter) and photocopying a small brochure advertising ski and adventure trips. It wasn’t long before the International Fund for Animal Welfare (the world’s largest animal welfare organization) put out a feeler for a young and ambitious adventure travel company to help them develop a seal watching tourist industry to replace the seal hunt in eastern Canada.
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About Natural Habitat Adventures: Natural Habitat Adventures has been a leader in responsible adventure travel & ecotourism since 1985.
Rick Guthke
Vice President & Adventure Specialist of Natural Habitat Adventures
Rick was raised outside of Cambridge in Massachusetts, but spent all his summers and Christmas vacations with his extended family in Germany. His parents always combined these family visits with side-trips to neighboring European countries, and thus his traveling spirit — and love of dark ale — was born. After graduating from Connecticut College with a Degree in Zoology, Rick moved to Colorado to climb mountains and pursue an adventuresome career. Between job opportunities, Rick stuffed his backpack and traveled internationally as far as his pennies could take him. After working as a Marine Biologist in the Aleutians Islands of Alaska, as a Wildland Firefighter based in Arizona and in the wine cellars of the Barossa Valley in Australia, Rick settled nicely back in Boulder in 1999 and into the field of Adventure Travel. He is now embarking on his next big adventure: parenting two young children!
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About Natural Habitat Adventures: Natural Habitat Adventures has been a leader in responsible adventure travel & ecotourism since 1985.
Rick Guthke
Vice President & Adventure Specialist of Natural Habitat Adventures
Rick was raised outside of Cambridge in Massachusetts, but spent all his summers and Christmas vacations with his extended family in Germany. His parents always combined these family visits with side-trips to neighboring European countries, and thus his traveling spirit — and love of dark ale — was born. After graduating from Connecticut College with a Degree in Zoology, Rick moved to Colorado to climb mountains and pursue an adventuresome career. Between job opportunities, Rick stuffed his backpack and traveled internationally as far as his pennies could take him. After working as a Marine Biologist in the Aleutians Islands of Alaska, as a Wildland Firefighter based in Arizona and in the wine cellars of the Barossa Valley in Australia, Rick settled nicely back in Boulder in 1999 and into the field of Adventure Travel. He is now embarking on his next big adventure: parenting two young children!
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About Natural Habitat Adventures: Natural Habitat Adventures has been a leader in responsible adventure travel & ecotourism since 1985.
Jeff Helfrick
Vice President Airport Operations of Hawaiian Airlines
Jeff Helfrick was appointed vice president – customer service in April 2016. He is responsible for airport operations, including passenger, ramp, and the contract services business, across our global network. His role also includes defining performance standards related to on-time arrivals and departures, baggage reliability and customer satisfaction.
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About Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian provides single-carrier service from the North America, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Mark B. Dunkerley
President & CEO of Hawaiian Airlines
Mark B. Dunkerley is the President and Chief Executive Officer of both Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. and its parent company, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. Mr. Dunkerley joined Hawaiian Airlines as President and Chief Operating Officer in December of 2002 and is also a member of the Board of Directors for both Hawaiian Holdings and Hawaiian Airlines. During his tenure at the company, Hawaiian Airlines has become the U.S. industry’s leading airline for operational performance, has delivered the highest levels of customer service and has been one of the most financially successful U.S. carriers. Since 2010, Hawaiian has diversified its business by aggressively expanding in the Asia Pacific region. New services between Honolulu and Tokyo, Osaka and Sapporo, Japan; Seoul, South Korea; Brisbane, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; and Beijing, China complement the carrier’s robust inter island and North America network. . Prior to joining Hawaiian Airlines, Mr. Dunkerley was Chief Operating Officer of the Sabena Airlines Group located in Brussels, Belgium. In 2001, he served as a consultant with the Robert Roach firm, which specializes in providing strategic and economic consulting services to the aviation industry. He previously served as President, Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Worldwide Flight Services. Mr. Dunkerley also spent 10 years at British Airways, rising to the position of Senior Vice President for the global carrier’s Latin America and Caribbean division. Mr. Dunkerley serves on the Boards of Directors for Airlines for Airlines for America (A4A), the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), the National Air and Space Museum and Outrigger Enterprises. He is also a member of the Board of Governors for the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In 2014, he received the Airline Strategy Award for Regional Leadership by Airline Business, recognizing his role in transforming Hawaiian Airlines from a bankrupt niche U.S. carrier to a strong and growing global player. Mr. Dunkerley holds a M.Sc. in Air Transport Economics from the Cranfield Institute of Technology and a B.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics. A licensed commercial pilot, Mr. Dunkerley is a veteran performer at aerobatic competitions, and was the U.S. Northeast Region Advanced Aerobatic Champion in 2002.
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About Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian provides single-carrier service from the North America, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Brent A. Overbeek
Vice President, Revenue Management & Network Planning of Hawaiian Airlines
Brent Overbeek is the Vice President – Revenue Management & Network Planning of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., a position he has held since July 2014. As Vice President – Revenue Management & Network Planning, Overbeek oversees revenue management and revenue analytics as well as network and schedule planning for Hawaiian Airlines. Prior to joining Hawaiian Airlines, Overbeek served as the Vice President – Revenue Management for Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. Previously, he also worked for American Airlines, where he gained 19 years of progressive analytical and revenue management experience in several positions including Managing Director – Domestic and Regional Revenue Management as well as Managing Director – Domestic Pricing and Regional Revenue Management. Overbeek holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of California, San Diego.
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About Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian provides single-carrier service from the North America, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Karen Berry
Vice President – Labor Relations of Hawaiian Airlines
Karen Berry was appointed vice president of labor and employee relations for Hawaiian Airlines in August 2011. She is responsible for leading an employee relations team that provides support and counsel to Hawaiian Airlines’ employees. Berry also leads collective bargaining efforts with the company’s unionized employees. She joined Hawaiian Airlines in 1990 as director of corporate planning, and worked in the company’s finance department for 11 years, including as vice president – treasurer. Berry previously served as vice president of finance.
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About Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian provides single-carrier service from the North America, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Theo Panagiotoulias
Senior Vice President, Global Sales & Alliances of Hawaiian Airlines
Theo Panagiotoulias was named Senior Vice President – Global Sales & Alliances of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., in August 2014. In his role, Panagiotoulias is responsible for overseeing Hawaiian Airlines’ worldwide sales organization including distribution, channel management and alliance partnerships with other airline partners for Hawaiian Airlines. He brings more than 20 combined years of commercial and operational experience in the airline and travel industry to Hawaiian Airlines. Panagiotoulias most recently served as the Vice President and General Manager for the technology and consulting company Sabre Corp. in Singapore, where he was responsible for all commercial and operational activities for the organization’s airline community and partnerships across the Asia/Pacific region. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at American Airlines, where he held several key leadership, commercial and general management positions in Australia, Japan, China and Singapore. Panagiotoulias graduated from Haileybury College in Melbourne, Australia and honed his skills as a business leader through his completion of the Advanced Leadership Programme at Cambridge University. He is fluent in the Greek language.
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About Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian provides single-carrier service from the North America, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Avi Mannis
Senior Vice President, Marketing of Hawaiian Airlines
Avi Mannis is the Senior Vice President – Marketing of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., a position he has held since July 2014. As Senior Vice President – Marketing, Mannis is responsible for Hawaiian Airlines’ brand, product, advertising and promotions, direct marketing, and direct sales and service channels. Previously, Mannis served as Vice President – Marketing from 2011 to 2014, and Vice President of Revenue Management and Schedule Planning from 2008 to 2011. Mannis joined Hawaiian Airlines in July 2007 as Senior Director of Transformation. Prior to Hawaiian Airlines, he worked at The Boston Consulting Group in New York City and Paris, France, and at Christie’s Auction House in New York City. Mannis is a graduate of Brown University, earning a B.A. with honors in Old World Archaeology and Art. He went on to earn his M.B.A from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
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About Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian provides single-carrier service from the North America, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Robin Sparling
Vice President, In-Flight Services of Hawaiian Airlines
Robin Sparling joined Hawaiian Airlines as Vice President In-Flight in 2014.
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About Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian provides single-carrier service from the North America, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Shannon L. Okinaka
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Hawaiian Airlines
Shannon Okinaka was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Hawaiian Airlines in May 2015. Previous to this appointment, Okinaka served as Senior Vice President and Interim Chief Financial Officer since January 2015. Okinaka joined the company as Senior Director in charge of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and special projects before being promoted to Vice President – Controller in 2011. Prior to joining Hawaiian Airlines, Okinaka worked for Hawaiian Electric Co. and Coopers & Lybrand/PricewaterhouseCoopers. A certified public accountant, Okinaka graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management Information Systems and Accounting. She was raised on Hawai‘i’s Big Island and graduated from Waiākea High School in Hilo. Okinaka serves on the Board of Directors of ‘Ohi’a Productions and the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i and she also is also a member of the Oahu Economic Development Board and the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC).
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About Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian provides single-carrier service from the North America, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Tony Lam
President – San Francisco Bay Area Wingstop Marketing COOP of Wingstop
Tony Lam is the President at the San Francisco Bay Area Wingstop Marketing COOP.
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About Wingstop: Wingstop is a chicken-wing chain.
Nord Samuelson
President of Chrome River Technologies
Nord Samuelson is the President of Chrome River Technologies and Certify Inc.
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About Chrome River Technologies: Chrome River Technologies is a global provider of expense reporting and invoice management.
Brijen Rajput
Senior Vice President, Online Marketing of Fareportal
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About Fareportal: Fareportal is a leading travel technology company that operates a number of websites which serve customers both online and with telephone
Sarah Liddle
Vice President, NY Agency Sales of GfK
Sarah Liddle is Vice President, NY Agency Sales at GfK.
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About GfK, MRI-Simmons: GfK is a market research institute in Germany.
Natasha Stevens
Executive Vice President – Strategy of GfK
Natasha Stevens is a thought leader and innovator with more than 15 years of experience in digital research. Her background encompasses building marketing research models that align traditional and digital techniques, social media listening and media analytics/measurement. Stevens’ career includes time at Visible Technologies and Cymfony where she led the professional services business and insight practice designing both custom and syndicated cross-industry research solutions for Fortune 500 companies. As the managing director of research at RF|Binder Partners she developed research and campaign measurement solutions that shaped and supported communications initiatives. Stevens was the recipient of the 4 Under 40 Marketing Research Emerging Leaders award from the American Marketing Association in 2013. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Michigan and a master’s in organizational psychology from Columbia University.
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About GfK: GfK is a market research institute in Germany.
Troy Flanagan
Vice President of State & Local Government Affairs of American Hotel & Lodging Association
Troy Flanagan is Vice President of State & Local Government Affairs at American Hotel & Lodging Association.
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About American Hotel & Lodging Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association: AH&LA is the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee lodging industry.
Brian Crawford
Executive Vice President & Departmental Head, Government Affairs of American Hotel & Lodging Association
Brian Crawford is Vice President of Government & Political Affairs at American Hotel & Lodging Association.
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About American Hotel & Lodging Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association: AH&LA is the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee lodging industry.
Rosanna Maietta
EVP Communications & Public Relations (AHLA); President & CEO AHLA Foundation (AHLAF) of American Hotel & Lodging Association
Rosanna Maietta is Senior Vice President of Communications & Public Relations at American Hotel & Lodging Association.
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About American Hotel & Lodging Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association: AH&LA is the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee lodging industry.
Chandler Smith
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Communications of American Hotel & Lodging Association
Chandler Smith is Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Communications at American Hotel & Lodging Association.
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About American Hotel & Lodging Association: AH&LA is the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee lodging industry.
Katie Moore
Vice President, Conventions & Events of American Hotel & Lodging Association
Katie Moore is Director of Conventions & Events at American Hotel & Lodging Association.
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About American Hotel & Lodging Association: AH&LA is the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee lodging industry.
John G. Murray
President and CEO of Hospitality Properties Trust
Mr. John G. Murray serves as President, Chief Operating Officer, Assistant Secretary of Hospitality Properties Trust. Mr. Murray has served in various capacities with RMR and its affiliates for over twenty years, including as an Executive Vice President of RMR (and its predecessors) since 1993. Mr. Murray is a member of the 2014 board of directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (“AH&LA”), representing the owners’ segment of the AH&LA. Mr. Murray was also the Company’s Secretary from 1996 to 2008.
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About Hospitality Properties Trust: Hospitality Properties Trust is a lodging and travel center real estate investment trust, or REIT.
Jonah Sigel
President & CEO of PlanetEye
Jonah Sigel has over 10 years experience as a deal maker and corporate counsel with significant experience in the technology sector, specifically, subscription and business to business based services, sports, entertainment and online media. He has worked as Director International Business Development and Corporate Counsel at AOL Canada where he played an integral role in the planning and launch of numerous web services as well as the company’s transition from an ISP model to a media sales/content driven business. Prior, Mr. Sigel served as attorney with several US law firms, corporate counsel with DoveBid, the world’s largest online and offline corporate auctioneer, and consultant to the Miami Heat Basketball Team and the Florida Panthers Hockey Team. A self-professed gadget geek, information sponge and sports fanatic Mr. Sigel received his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law.
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About PlanetEye: Destination Marketing Web Platforms
Anju Gupta
Vice President, Data and Analytics Officer of Enterprise Holdings
Anju Gupta is Vice President of Data Strategy and Analytics for Enterprise Holdings Inc. In this role, Gupta oversees strategy development for the company’s data assets and develops insights that positively impact the company’s future – from enhancing day-to-day operations and customer interactions to leading strategic decision-making and technology innovation efforts.
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About Enterprise Holdings: world-class portfolio of rental brands
Pamela Nicholson
President and Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Holdings
Pamela Nicholson has been a member of our board of directors since March 2014. Pamela Nicholson currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Holdings, Inc., an auto rental and leasing company that operates Alamo Rent A Car, National Car Rental and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Pamela Nicholson served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Enterprise Holdings, Inc. from 2008 to 2013. Pamela Nicholson also serves as a Director of Enterprise Holdings, Inc. and the Humane Society of Missouri. She served as a Director of Energizer Holdings, Inc. from 2002-2014.
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About Enterprise Holdings: world-class portfolio of rental brands
Matt Minetola
Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer of Travelport International
As Chief Information Officer for Travelport, Matt Minetola holds global responsibility for leading Travelport’s Technology organization and the technical delivery of its Travel Commerce Platform.
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About Travelport International: Travelport Limited provides business services, as well as transaction processing solutions and data to companies operating in the travel.
Sean Menke
President and CEO of Sabre Corporation
As president, Sean Menke is responsible for the overall performance of Sabre Travel Network, the world’s leading provider of high-performance travel solutions. Before joining Sabre, Menke served as the chief operations officer and executive vice president of Hawaiian Airlines overseeing the airline’s flight operations, in-flight services, customer service, maintenance and engineering, safety and regulatory security, operations planning and scheduling, and performance engineering and operations analytics. Previously, he was executive vice president of resources at IHS Inc., a global information technology company. Menke’s career in the travel industry spans more than 20 years in executive leadership for the areas of marketing, customer experience, strategy, planning, sales, distribution and revenue management with Air Canada, United Airlines, Western Pacific Airlines and America West Airlines. He has served in the role of president and CEO for both Pinnacle Airlines and Frontier Airlines using his experience in commercial, operational and financial areas of the business. Menke is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys participating in marathons, ultra-marathons, cycling, snow skiing and spending time with his wife and three boys. He earned his MBA from the University of Denver and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Economics and Aviation from Ohio State University. Sean is the incoming CEO and President of Sabre, effective December 31, 2016.
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About Sabre Corporation: Sabre Corporation is a U.S.-based travel technology company providing software solutions to the travel industry.
