The OpenTravel Alliance Announces 2011-2012 Board of Directors

The OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel), the travel industry’s leading distribution specification/standards development organization, announces its board of directors for 2011-2012. 

“The rate of change in the travel industry is speeding up by the day,” says Stephen Joyce, CEO of Rezgo and chair of the OpenTravel board of directors.  “Our job at OpenTravel is to ensure we can help the travel industry connect and interoperate, and it’s critical that the board of directors bring their combined experience to the table to serve our members and the broader industry.  I am pleased to be associated with such a stellar group of industry professionals.”

Rejoining the board of directors this year is HP, a leader in the development of airline passenger service solutions.

“The travel industry faces increasing demands for innovation and more flexible communication, which all begins with the proper standards,” says Cindy Falschlehner, Director, Office of Strategy & Technology, Business Solutions at HP. “Having previously been a member of the OpenTravel Board of Directors, HP looks forward to leveraging our deep travel industry experience to work with the suppliers and distributors on the next generation of OpenTravel standards.”

The 2011 board of directors executive committee includes:

• Chair - Stephen Joyce, CEO, Rezgo
• Vice Chair – Gianni Cataldo, Vice President and General Manager Americas, Datalex
• Treasurer - Andrew Rubinacci, Vice President, Distribution and Intermediary Sales, InterContinental Hotels Group

The full board of directors includes:

• Vincent Lextrait, Director Travel Services and Leisure, Amadeus
• Stuart Waldron, Architect, Information Technology ResNG, Amtrak
• Buddy Altus, Director Electronic Distribution, Online Marketing Group, Avis Budget Group
• Harold Dibler, Managing Director, Application Development, Information Services, Best Western International
• James         White, Director Global Automation Marketing, Hertz
• Cindy Falschlehner, Global Product Executive, Office of Strategy & Technology, Business Solutions, HP
• Lisa Fues, Director of Reservations, Inventory and Distribution, Marriott International
• Lew J. Harasymiw, Esq., Director of Interface Solutions, Sabre Hospitality Solutions
• Vicki Bias, Manager of Technology, United/Continental Airlines

For full bios on each board member, click here.

Recent and Upcoming Events

OpenTravel recently published its 2011A version of the schema.  Click here for more information.

OpenTravel will hold an event at WTM in London on Monday November 7, 2011, and at the Phocuswright Conference on Monday November 14, 2011.  More information will be published soon.

About the OpenTravel Alliance

The OpenTravel Alliance is passionate about solving the problems inherent with connecting multiple systems within the complex travel distribution arena.

OpenTravel's mission is to engineer specifications that make data transmission flow smoothly throughout travel, tourism and hospitality. OpenTravel creates, expands and drives adoption of open universal data specifications, including but not limited to the use of XML, for the electronic exchange of business information among all sectors of the travel industry. 

With a diversified membership representing influential names in all sectors of the travel industry, OpenTravel is comprised of representatives from airlines, car rental firms, hotels, cruise lines, leisure suppliers, service providers, tour operators, travel agencies, and trade associations. Thousands of OpenTravel message structures are in use, carrying tens of millions of messages between trading partners every day.

For more information, visit www.opentravel.org.


Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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