Purchasing Article Protest
<B>Purchasing Article Protest</B>
We the undersigned are writing to express disappointment with your article (BTN, March 12) entitled, "Procurement Picks Up Travel In The United States."
From an organizational perspective where travel reports into is not an issue whatsoever. However, there are no empirical data from any study identified in the story to support a trend into procurement. Anecdotal statements made by just a few persons are the only support for the premise of the article.
Importantly, the undersigned seek to emphasize that Travel Managers have been pursuing aggressive cost savings since airline deregulation enabled it 22 years ago. The travel profession embraced sophisticated data gathering and analysis, as well as the deployment of technology, years before such strategies were implemented in other purchasing commodity areas.
Finally, for those travel managers who do have formal or informal relationships with their procurement departments, your article is not helpful. Unfortunately, it may help create a "we-they" atmosphere that some travel and procurement managers will then have to address.
We trust you will place our perspective on the record with your readership.<I>
Beverly Alegria, Travel and Fleet Manager, Foster Wheeler Corp.
Dana R. Annis, Travel Services Manager, BJ Services Co., USA
Henry C. Apfel, CTC, General Manager, Travel Services Division, Kirchman Corp.
Craig A. Banikowski CCTE, Director of Corporate Travel, BuildNet Inc.
Lila Beck, Travel Manager, EGain Communications
Nancy K. Bennett, Manager, Corporate Travel, Blue Shield of California
Doug Blakely, Director, Travel Services, Executive Jet Inc.
Bruce W. Bosland, AVP/Purchasing, Travel Services, The CIT Group
Charles Braswell, Director, Global Travel Management & Business Services, DaimlerChrysler Corp.
Mike Brooks, VP, General Services, Republic Mortgage Insurance Corp.
Peter Buchheit, Director, Travel and Meeting Services, Black & Decker
Robert A. Calabro, Travel/Purchasing Manager, Educational Testing Service
Michael Conley, Global Travel Manager, RAND Corp.
Bill Davidson, Manager, Corporate Travel/Meeting Services, International SEMATECH
Debbie DeGrendele, Manager, Worldwide Travel Administration, Seagate Technology
Ellen DeGloria, Corporate Travel Manager, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Betts DeMott, CCTE, Travel Manager, The Clorox Co.
Nadine Dewart, Travel Purchase Specialist, Toyota Motor Europe
Mary Beth Driscoll, Director of Travel and Meeting Services, ARAMARK Corp.
Wayne Drum, Manager Administrative Services, Clariant Corp.
Sandee Ellingson, Director Administration/Facilities, Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.
Suzanne M. Fletcher, Director of Travel and Meetings, Weyerhaeuser
Kathy Godsey, CCTE, Director, Travel Atlas Van Lines Inc.
Marge Gordon, Corporate Travel Manager, Lexmark International Inc.
Misty Gray, Manager, Office Services & Travel, Syncor International Corp.
Debbie Greulich, Manager, Travel Services, Masco Corp.
Karin L. Hart, CCTE, Travel Manager, ViaSat Inc.
Linda Heath, Corporate Travel Manager, American Bible Society
David Holmgren, Director Corporate Travel, Whirlpool Corp.
Karyn Hoye, CCTE, Travel Manager, General Physics Corp.
Elizabeth M. Huber, Assistant Vice President-Travel Services, T. Rowe Price Associates
Cheryl Hutchinson, Senior Principal, AMS Corporate Travel, American Management Systems
Sally A. Iott, Corporate Travel Manager., Parsons Corp.
Beth Johnson, Travel Manager, CH Robinson Co.
Kathleen Karsko, Travel & Aviation Manager, ING ReliaStar
Kevin P. Killeen, Director, Employee Business Travel, Worldwide Travel Services, Enterprise Activities Group, General Motors Corp.
Sheila Kittle, Vice President, Corporate Travel, Raymond James Financial
Elaine Kretten, Travel/Fleet Manager, Senco Products Inc.
Jeff Kroeger, Manager, Corporate Programs and Services, Structural Dynamics Research Corp.
Courtney Linley, Travel Manager, Fireman's Fund Insurance Co.
Mike Mary, CCTE, Director of Travel Services, Adidas International
Alex McAdam, Manager Corporate Travel, Freddie Mac
Nancy S. Meade, Senior Strategic Advisor Global Business Travel Management, DaimlerChrysler Corp.
Joni Miyashiro, Manager, Amgen Travel Services
Jimette Newton, Corporate Travel Manager, Andrew Corp.
Greg Pierce, Manager, Travel and Food Services, Kelly Services Inc.
Gary Polito, Manager, Corporate Travel, Bose Corp.
Daryl Rodowitz, CTC Travel Department Manager, Pep Boys
Fran Roman, Sr. Manager Facilities & Support Services, Headstrong Inc.
Lois A. Raffel, CCTE, Travel Manager, Achieve Global
Gail Rubenstein, Director Corporate Travel, Hasbro. Inc.
Raymond E. Sauter, Director, Business Travel, Kohler Co.
Russell Schnepf, Manager, Corporate Travel Services,
A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc.
Yukari Sison, Travel Manager, Discovery Communications Inc.
Mary Savoie-Stephens, CCTE, CMP , Global Travel Manager, 3Com Corp.
Paula D. Upton, Director of Travel Services, IHS Group
Ann Widay, Senior Travel Administrator, Qualcomm Inc.
Diane Witt, Travel Programs Manager, Attachmate Corp.
Mary Zalba, Supervisor, Travel Services, Lubrizol Corp.