Press Release
For Immediate Release
17 May 2010
ACTE Cites Three Travel Industry Leaders For Innovation and Excellence At Global Conference in Chicago
Chicago, IL --
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) conferred its highest awards for innovation and excellence to three renown travel industry leaders during the association’s Global Education Conference in Chicago (May 16 - 18, 2010). Maria Chevalier, Global Director, Travel & Meeting Services, Johnson & Johnson; Caro Cook, Chief of Transportation, International Monetary Fund; and Bruce Finch, Senior Manager, Global Travel Services Autodesk, Inc. were honored before 800 leaders of the business travel industry from over 25 countries.
“These are the professionals who routinely court innovation, who explore every option, and who relentlessly move forward in their pursuit of corporate growth regardless of the obstacles,” said ACTE President Richard Crum. “They are an example to others for their determination to prompt positive change for their travelers and for their companies.”
The ACTE Advancing the Industry Award was presented to Maria Chevalier for achieving the highest levels of excellence within the profession, and for selflessly sharing these techniques with her colleagues. She is widely respected for balancing strategic foresight with tactical execution. Johnson & Johnson’s rate-loading accuracies are among the highest in the industry. Chevalier is among the first travel managers to use a mobile platform to disseminate information and manage travelers’ itineraries.
With more than 25 years of industry experience, Chevalier is the global director of Travel & Meeting Services for Johnson & Johnson, whose billion dollar travel spend ranks it as the world’s 9th largest travel service buyer. Her previous positions include vice president of of Hotel Consulting/Relations for BCD Travel and Chief Operating Officer of The Travel Desk. Chevalier is a frequent panelist for numerous travel industry events and a sought-after media source with quotes appearing in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other industry publications. She also sits on the Georgia State University Hospitality Board, the Business Travel News Editorial Board, and multiple supplier boards.
ACTE’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award is presented to industry leaders who promote sustainable travel programs that respect both the environment and the traveler, and make their company a better world citizen and preferred business partner. Bruce Finch received this award in recognition for his efforts in encouraging travel vendors to improve fleet efficiency, and for utilizing new virtual collaboration technologies to lower the corporate carbon footprint. In 2008, Finch’s company — Autodesk, Inc. — instituted a high-level sustainability policy integrating software products that enable sustainable design, educating the public about sustainability issues, and establishing sustainability ob
The Senior Manager of Global Travel Services for Autodesk, Inc., Finch began his travel career at Eastern Airlines in New York in 1977, working in the Sales and in-flight services areas. In 1987, he purchased Around the World Travel, a Boston-area travel agency, which he managed until 1995. Finch was the Manager of Travel Operations at the Gillette Company in Boston until 2003 when he left to become the Senior Manager of Global Travel for FleetBoston Financial, then the nations 7th largest financial institution, prior to merging with Bank of America.
The ACTE Presidents’ Award is the highest recognition conferred upon a member for distinguished service to the association. It is presented for volunteering, for leading, for speaking out in industry issues, and for promoting ACTE techniques and programs for industry-wide solutions to major challenges. Caro Cook, Chief of the Transportation Section for the International Monetary Fund received this honor for over a decade of service to ACTE, as a Board Member, a member of the Executive Committee, a veteran member of numerous planning committees, a panelist in dozens of events, and a strong advocate of the association to the industry and the media.
At the IMF, Cook directs 3,500 global travelers with a T&E budget of over $100 million. She is responsible for the procurement and negotiation of all the travel products which includes airlines, hotels, ground transportation services and travel technology. A 20-year travel industry veteran, Cook began her career in the United Kingdom, working for one of the top four tour operating companies. There she was responsible for product, customer delivery, and the profit and loss of 21 business units around the world. Cook subsequently set up her own consulting business, where she worked with blue chip clients such as the Whitbread Company. Her involvement with business travel began with the IMF, where she has been for eight years.
“This association, and this industry, is fortunate to draw upon this caliber of executives and to honor them for their dedication, expertise and leadership,” said Crum. “We’re proud to publicly acknowledge their efforts today.”
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