Press Release

For Immediate Release
23 April 2007

ACTE and APS Establish Strategic Alliance to Collaborate on Future Corporate Travel and Purchasing Education

Alexandria, VA --

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and the American Purchasing Society (APS) announced today that they have entered into a strategic business partnership to enhance education for the purchasing and corporate travel industries. According to a statement issued by ACTE President Greeley Koch, an alliance of educational services between the two organizations now supports the long-established link between business travel management and the purchasing department.

“Many aspects of business travel management constitute a specialized level of purchasing, and have for three decades. In many corporate structures, purchasing is getting more involved in the business travel management function. It is a natural progression that ACTE and APS should make our respective memberships stronger through a cooperative educational alliance,” said Koch.

Recognizing that many managed travel programs now fall under purchasing and finance departments, this alliance will provide ACTE members with access to APS online seminars such as: Business Ethics for Buyers and Sellers, Essential Law for Buyers and Sellers, Math for Purchasing and Business, Use of Terms and Conditions Documenting the Purchase Agreement, 76 Ways to Improve Purchasing Performance, and How to Plan Your Career and Prepare Your Resume. APS members will benefit from having access to ACTE travel management and indirect spend education sessions and events.  ACTE members will also have access to APS certification programs and other APS products.

ACTE’s Executive Director Susan Gurley said, “This alliance is more than just the opportunity for two specialized fields to exchange expertise in the online classroom. It typifies ACTE’s willingness to reach out to other organizations that have similar objectives, or the specialized knowledge to help advance our member companies’ overall objectives. You can expect to see more of this in the future.”
She added that the advanced purchasing curricula will be especially well received in ACTE’s growing markets in Asia, the Middle East, the Gulf States, and Africa.

The alliance with APS is the culmination of a year-long search for access to a purchasing education program that complements ACTE’s approach to business travel and indirect spend.  Upcoming ACTE conferences in Miami, Singapore and Munich are emphasizing procurement more heavily this year and a leading procurement expert, Shakeel Mozaffar from ICI will deliver a keynote address in Miami. APS can help members continue that purchasing education “on demand.” 

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) is a not-for-profit association providing executive-level global education to business travel leaders in 50 countries.  The American Purchasing Society is a professional organization of buyers and purchasing managers and was the first to establish a certification program for purchasing professionals.

For more information, contact:
Debbie Flynn
CEO
Brighter Group
The Pod, London's Vertical Gateway
Bridges Wharf, Battersea
London SW11 3BE England
T: 020 7326 9880
F: 020 7326 9890
E: [email protected]
W: www.brightergroup.com