GetThere today announced that former Wal-Mart director of global travel services Duane Futch has joined the company as vice president of travel procurement strategy, providing consulting to current clients, prospects and agency resellers.
Futch,
Business Travel News'2006 Travel Manager of the Year, primarily has responsibility "to offer advice and ideas to travel managers as they look to optimize travel procurement strategies in their programs, and specifically how those travel managers can leverage technology to create value," said GetThere president Chris Kroeger. "Duane's experience over the years, in particular his time at Wal-Mart, and the insight he has into the travel procurement process and what travel managers face day in and day out certainly positions him well to provide that value to our customers."
The company also named former Meeting Professionals International vice president of marketplace performance Joan England as its vice president of sales for North America. In the newly created role, England now oversees all North American sales efforts for direct corporate sales, business travel agency reseller programs, the government travel sector and channel partnerships, including the SAP relationship.
England's appointment fills out the regional sales executive structure and follows earlier hires including the appointment of former Eurostar U.K. head of sales Jason Geall, who in January begins his new role as GetThere director of the Europe, Middle East and Africa division
(BTNonline, Nov. 17).