Press Release

For Immediate Release
17 September 2008

"link, Learn, Lead" Set The objective For The ACTE Canada Education Conference

Alexandria, Va --

Pressed to cut costs while boosting productivity in a tight economic environment, business travel managers throughout Canada will trade best practices on this subject and others in Toronto, 16-18 November 2008, at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ (ACTE) third annual Canada Education Conference. The three-day event will enable the highest volume travel service purchasers in the country to identify industry issues, and to reach a consensus on the best methods for meeting corporate travel needs.

“This event is critical to all business travel management professionals looking to turn current economic developments to their companies’ advantage, while boosting traveller productivity and eliminating travel stress,” said Monica Hailstone, Regional Director, ACTE Canada. “The agenda is philosophically balanced with ‘innovative intelligence,’ provided by four acclaimed keynote speakers, supported by nine education sessions.”

According to Hailstone, this year’s program is solution-oriented for challenges specific to Canada. Presentations will cover meetings consolidation, data control and interpretation, the structure of business agreements, building stronger business relationships, and corporate social responsibility. “Our theme – link, learn, and lead – emphasizes the role automation and communication play in mastering rising travel expenses, while our objective is to prepare participants for every eventuality.”

The conference’s keynote speakers feature the best minds in academia and private industry.

Alexander Fritsche, Senior Economist, Conference Board of Canada, will present a multi-dimensional interpretation of Canada’s economy in 2009, “Snapshot: 2009 Economics and Spend Trends.” Beginning with a high level economic overview, this session will dig deep into the business travel world. Fritsche will deliver valuable analysis – beyond statistics – into the areas of accommodations, transportation, and meetings.

Professor Louis Gialloreto BA, BA (Hon.) Law, MBA, LLM, MRAeS was awarded “Best Professor” (MBA) at McGill University in Montreal, from 2002-2004. An author of more than 50 articles in various marketing and air transport publications, along with 20 years of corporate management experience with regional and major airlines, Professor Gialloreto has developed and/or taught on executive and management education seminars and corporate consulting mandates with representatives of over 100 companies in the last 15 years. He will provide a comprehensive analysis of the business travel industry.

Two-time Gemini award-winning writer and broadcaster Evan Solomon, CBC Television, will explore the world of innovation, advances in technology, changing business paradigms, and creative approaches to sustainability in the 21st Century. His presentation dispels the hype and myth of technology, while detailing its power to advance your career. Solomon co-founded The Ingenuity Project, a dynamic new series that gathers the best and brightest minds from around the world in order to generate new solutions to the most pressing issues of our time. As part of this project, he is the co-editor and writer of the bestselling book, Fueling the Future: How the Battle Over Energy Is Changing Everything, which was nominated of the National Business Book of the Year in 2004 and the National Science Award in 2004.

The “Turbo Charged Brain,” is the title of a presentation by Hall of Fame Inductee, and Guinness World Record Holder Bob Gray. Using humour throughout, Gray will share the practical “Chain” system which dates all the way back to ancient Greece, and is still today an invaluable tool for memorizing speeches, presentations, lists and more. This empowering technique and its many applications provides immediate “walk away” value suitable for the business world.

“This conference represents ACTE’s commitment to education in Canada, and in providing alternatives to simply weathering economic hard times,” said Susan Gurley, the association’s Executive Director. “The education sessions for the conference were designed with the travel buyer in mind and will provide real-world solutions and resources you can begin to use immediately.”

ABOUT ACTE:
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) represents the global business travel industry through its international advocacy efforts, executive level educational programs, and independent industry research. ACTE's membership consists of senior travel industry executives from 82 countries representing the €463 billion business travel industry. With the support of sponsors from every major segment of the business travel industry, ACTE develops and delivers educational programs in key business centers throughout the world. ACTE has offices in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and the United States. For more information on ACTE, please go to www.acte.org.

Innovators to the Business Travel Management Profession
“The Most Widely Adopted Standards in the Industry”
Education • CSR • Traveler Safety/Data Privacy • Advocacy

Contact:
Monica Hailstone
Regional Director, Canada
Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE)
t: 1-613-836-752
e: [email protected]

 

 

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