OpenTravel(TM) Alliance Announces Board of Director and Officer Elections for 2005-2006

Industry Leading Organization Reaffirms Commitment to the Development and Adoption of Specification

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- As it embarks on its 7th year, the OpenTravel(TM) Alliance announces its Board of Directors and Officers for 2005-2006 for each of the respective industry verticals.

  
   (Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040607/DCM009LOGO )
   
   Air:
   Ron Anderson-Lehman, Senior Vice President and CIO, Continental Airlines
   Ravi Gundimeda, Director Application Development, United Airlines
   Daniel Henry, Managing Director Customer Technology, American Airlines
   Chris Stanley, Senior Director of Electronic Distribution, America West
   Airlines
   
   Car:
   John Turato, Vice President of Technology, Cendant Car Rental Group
   James White, Director, Global Automation Marketing, The Hertz Corporation
   
   Hotel:
   Anne Cole, VP Distribution & Content Delivery, Hilton Hotels Corporation
   Lisa Fues, Director of Reservations, Inventory and Distribution, Marriott
   
   International
   Mike Kistner, Senior Vice President of Operations and Technology at
   Pegasus Solutions and Partner at BASK
   
   Travel Integration:
   Rahim Amlani, Director of Product Management, Sidestep
   Corey Ladd, Director of Product Marketing, Sabre Holdings
   Gianni Cataldo, Vice President Product Solutions, Worldspan
   Alan Young, Chief Marketing Officer, Hotel Information Systems
   
   The following individuals were elected to OTA Officer Positions:
   Chair - John Turato
   Vice Chair - Ron Anderson-Lehman
   Treasurer - Rahim Amlani

Turato assumes the position of Chair following Mike Kistner who served as Chair for 4 years. At the annual OTA Advisory Forum held in May, Kistner received the Tom Grubbs Award, OTA's highest award that recognizes an individual who has contributed greatly to the success of the organization.

"The OTA stands poised to continue building on its past success," stated Mike Kistner. "Our dynamic leadership comprised of these outstanding individuals will no doubt ensure that we accomplish the strategic objectives of the OTA."

About the OTA:

The OpenTravel(TM) Alliance is dedicated to the creation, expansion, and adoption of open universal data specifications empowering the travel industry to take full advantage of eCommerce opportunities. The OTA's mission is to transform the travel industry into one global supermarket of products and services. This will be realized through development of a commonly accepted communications process using XML.

The OpenTravel(TM) Alliance's membership is comprised of more than 150 companies representing all sectors of the travel industry, including air, car, cruise, rail, hotel, travel agencies, and tour operators. In addition, the OTA has partnerships with many industry organizations including the Air Transport Association (ATA), American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA), National Business Travel Association (NBTA), Computerized Airline Sales & Marketing Association (CASMA), and the Travel Technology Initiative (TTI).

For more information about the OTA or for membership information, please visit http://www.opentravel.org/.

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