Schoen Trades In Shingle For Coke

<B> Schoen Trades In Shingle For Coke</B>

By Sarah Welt

Effective July 1, Steven Schoen, founder of The Global Group, a consulting firm based in Burke, Va., is packing up shop and moving to Atlanta to join Coca Cola Co. as director of travel management.

Schoen has been consulting for Coca Cola for the past year and working with its travel team on a number of initiatives, including a partnership with its global procurement team and the formation of North American and global travel councils.

Moving forward, Schoen said, "We will be continuing that work and looking for opportunities to further consolidate travel purchasing and streamline the data gathering process."

Schoen will join Jim Vallance, director of global travel solutions. Both will report to Lois Johnson, director of management services.

After nine years as his own boss, Schoen gave it all up "not because business was bad--it was unbelievably brisk--but because this is a wonderful opportunity with an incredible company."

Coke already has a travel Website on its corporate intranet, and one of Schoen's first initiatives will be to continue to grow and enhance the system. Schoen said his overall goal is "to continue to improve upon the strong global program that already exists, to ensure Coca Cola remains on the leading edge of travel management."

The Global Group's technology-oriented sister company, the Germany-based Global Group Enterprises, run by president Elaine White, will continue operations.