BCD Travel last week named former World Travel BTI president Danny Hood as president of the Americas, replacing John Snyder, who became global president and COO last month
(BTN, Nov. 19). The company also appointed president of the East division Louise Miller to the newly created position of executive vice president of global business solutions, sales and marketing. The senior management changes become effective Jan. 7, 2008.
In his new role, Hood said he will focus on customer interaction, leverage the company's future $40 million technology investment and drive growth throughout the region with an emphasis on Latin America, as part of his efforts to carry out a three-year strategic plan set forth by new CEO Joop Drechsel and Snyder.
"I am going to do a lot of listening to customers and employees," Hood told BTN. "I call it management by flying around. That is what I am going to be doing for the first three to six months, and taking a lot of notes on what our customers and employees need."
Although Hood would not disclose precise plans for growth in Latin America and the Caribbean, he said, "There is an ample capital budget for Mike Buckman in Asia/Pacific and John and Joop have done the same for merger and acquisition activity, as well as the organic growth that Louise is going to drive in LAC."
Industry pioneer Hood returns full-time following his retirement in January 2006, which preceded the breakup of WorldTravel BTI
(BTNonline, Dec. 15, 2005). Since then, Hood has served on BCD Travel's advisory board and worked in a consulting capacity for companies including Atlas Travel International and BCD sibling Park 'N Fly.
"He was chomping at the bit to get back in the industry," according to Snyder. "This is the perfect transition for him and it's going to make my transition a lot easier leaving it in the hands of someone who already knows the organization and all the players."
Hood, who reports to Snyder in the new role, led the introduction of one of the first direct-connect technologies, the launch of one of the first Web-based booking engines and the development of the first online e-fulfillment center, according to BCD Travel.
Miller is tasked with leading the new 50-person global business solutions organization, which provides internal support for account management and sales through program design and strategy.
"We need to transcend the traditional sales organization model," Miller said. "We have this extra entity that will supplement sales and help enable sales in the field to design programs for multinational and global customers and provide transitional leadership."