Carlson Wagonlit Makes N. America Mgmt. Changes - 2001-01-15

<B>Carlson Wagonlit Makes N. America Mgmt. Changes</B>

By Megan Hjermstad

<I>Minneapolis - </I>Carlson Wagonlit Travel this month named Rob Deliberto executive vice president of client service, industry relations and solutions group North America, replacing Ron Merriman, former executive vice president of client service North America, and Jim Giancola, former executive vice president of the solutions group, both of whom have left the company.

The announcement was the latest in a series of North American management changes since Robin Schleien took over Nov. 1 for Jon Madonna as president of North America (BTN, Oct. 30, 2000).

CWT in December announced that Dan Miles, previously vice president/general manager of GE Travel Management Services, was promoted to executive vice president of North American Operations, replacing Dean Hatton who also left the company. Former senior director of global solutions Tyler Lyman has replaced Miles.

Despite North American management changes, Robin Schleien said since he assumed North American leadership the emphasis has been on retaining customer and employee confidence. "Frankly, the exercise has not been about putting in a new organization," said Schleien. "The bulk of it is about validating the brand perception, customer requirements and needs." Schleien also has been working to validate employee perceptions and expectations. In the first four to six weeks in his new position, Schleien has spoken to 850 employees and 100 customers.

Deliberto will report directly to Schleien, who asked Deliberto to return to CWT after he left the company last year to take time off. Deliberto, who has more than 20 years of industry experience, has been with CWT for more than 10 years, serving most recently as vice president of client service, eastern region. "Rob has tremendous knowledge, passion and commitment to the business," said Schleien. "He is so well versed in so many aspects of the business, he can't help but be an asset. He also cares deeply about our employees."

CWT now has consolidated under Deliberto account management for North America, as well as the solutions, consulting and industry relations groups. "We put them together as a suite of services focusing on customers and ensuring supplier strategy in tune with customer needs," said Deliberto. "We need to provide integrated service for customers on a global basis, as we want to be their first choice worldwide."

Deliberto's relationship management will be crucial to working with the client services people who are key to delivering results: "The flat organizational structure brings me closer to people and cuts down on decision makers," he said.

Meanwhile, Miles' focus will be on process, technology and environment. Miles, who spent 15 years with GE prior to joining Carlson Wagonlit, will relocate from Phoenix to Minneapolis, where he will report to Schleien.

"Dan Miles is really a spectacular individual," said Schleien. "He doesn't have the external customer profile Rob has; Dan is more silent and deadly. He will bring in all his experience with call centers and operations in a very complex environment and raise the bar for how an operation should be run."

Schleien is looking to bring in or promote a vice president of finance/CFO North America to report to global CFO Tim Hennessey, and someone to focus on IT for North America, under CIO Loren Brown, who will retain a global outlook. CWT in the next 60 days will have an organizational structure designed to align with its new direction.

"We have an exceptionally talented team, but talent doesn't necessarily create results," said Schleien. "It is not just executives, but 51 remarkable people on the core team who are involved in the strategic planning process, the development of a new business plan and reinventing who we are and what we represent to our clients and our employees.