NBTA Picks Exec Director

<B>NBTA Picks Exec Director</B>

By Megan Hjermstad

As the National Business Travel Association's new executive director, Marianne McInerney intends to support and strengthen the existing strategy and aims of the organization. "My goal is to make sure that the NBTA staff and board are listening to our customers--shareholders is what I call them--and providing them with the information and content they need," said McInerney, appointed to the position March 29 at the NBTA's annual meeting in London. "I will continue the strategy the board and staff outlined a while back, which is to supply relevant information and content on a 24-hour basis." McInerney had served as director of communications and information services and was involved in developing two NBTA Web sites: the Travel Vault and BizTraveler.org.

"NBTA is the focal point for technology in the industry," said McInerney. "I will be looking for new ways to interject new technology and provide travel management professionals with what they need to do their jobs." She said NBTA is pursuing more Internet offerings as well as ventures into other types of technology because technology goes hand in hand with a "goal of diversifying and expanding educational offerings." To achieve its educational goals, NBTA will have help from Kristi Long, who today joins NBTA as the new director of education. Long previously served as the director of education at American Society of Travel Agents. "She brings an incredible amount of skills and industry knowledge," said McInerney.

NBTA will expand the education content at this summer's annual convention in Los Angeles to include eight education tracks and more than 70 sessions, with 16 devoted to technology. "We need to help members understand the changes in the industry and teach them how to leverage and embrace technology to make their projects work better," said McInerney. "We are committed to leading the industry at this time of change."

McInerney also wants to help members that are globalizing, and ensure that the organization itself reflects that trend. "We need to think and act globally. Part of this is relationships with our partners in Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada." McInerney indicated that NBTA soon might forge more foreign partnerships.