Press Release

For Immediate Release
23 June 2009

ACTE Board of Directors Names Richard Crum President and Greeley Koch As head of Global Centre For Research and Education

Alexandria, VA -- Richard Crum, President of Airplus International, Inc., has been named President of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE). Following a succession plan approved and adopted in May, 2008, ACTE’s Board of Directors named Crum by unanimous decision. He will assume the office vacated by Doug Weeks, who resigned on 22 June 2009. A former ACTE President and board member, Crum has extensive working knowledge of the association, its global membership, and its goals. He was instrumental in leading the association through the evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and championed the immediate alleviation of airways congestion. He is an authority on CSR in Europe and has prompted similar advances in the United States.

“My primary role is to guide the association forward by keeping our focus on the real issues at hand, by implementing the wishes of our entire membership, and by assuring these actions will provide advantages for the industry,” said Crum. He will also oversee the election of a new president. The process begins with candidates solicited by the Nominating Committee, which will be convened shortly.

In a related action, ACTE’s Board of Directors also named Greeley Koch, Director of Strategic Development for the Acquis Consulting Group, as head of the association’s Global Centre For Research and Education. This position was vacated by Richard Crum as he took the office of President. Also a former ACTE President and board member, Koch has substantial experience in legislative activity, association growth, and international development. He was president when ACTE successfully challenged the TSA on the safety issue of electronic passports and led the industry in pandemic awareness in working with the World Heath Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Today’s board action brings two strong, well-respected leaders into the forefront of the association,” said Susan Gurley, ACTE’s Executive Director. “Together with other ACTE board members, Richard Crum and Greeley Koch will support the interests of our members and sponsors through increasingly relevant programs and expanded networking for professional and business growth.”

That course of action includes a full educational agenda for the fall. ACTE is moving forward with plans for its next Global Education Conference, which is slated for October, in Prague. Other events, such as Executive Forums, are booked for the U.S., Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific Education Conference in August. These will emphasize options and strategies to support economic recovery through business travel.





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