Meeting/Event Information

OVBTA / MBTA Joint Education Day

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest
1275 Huron Street
Ypsilanti, MI 48197 

 *** This Meeting is Approved for 7 Credits ***

Monday, October 16

Networking Reception: 6:30PM - 8:00P 

Tuesday, October 17

7:30a.m. –8:00a.m.    Registration & Networking Continental Breakfast (Atrium)

8:00a.m. – 8:10a.m.   Welcome from the Presidents (Auditorium 1)

8:10a.m.– 8:30a.m.    GBTA Updates – Patrick Algyer, GBTA, Senior Manager, Volunteer Relations (Auditorium 1)

8:30a.m.  –10:00a.m.    Morning General Session:  Key Note Speaker Scott Gillespie, Managing Director tClara ~ What’s The Goal? Why Travel Management Must Change Its Mission (Auditorium 1)

Scott Gillespie, Managing Director, tClara

Scott often breaks new ground – and a bit of glass - in the corporate travel industry.

10:00a.m.– 10:15a.m.   Morning Break (Atrium)

10:15a.m.–11:15a.m.    Breakout Sessions:

• Session 1: Reducing Traveler Friction – How Travel Policies & Travel Culture Can Be Changed ~ Scott Gillespie, Managing Director tClara (Auditorium 1)

• Session 2: Corporate Credit Card – 101 reasons it is the best solutions for everyone ~ Heather Miller, NAPCP (2nd Level, Conf. A)

Heather Miller, Manager Procurement & Card Administration, Apollo Education Group, & NAPCP’s Higher Education
Before her involvement in the NAPCP, Heather served as primary liaison with the banking
institutions, cardholders, vendors and executive level employees in the management of the
Corporate Credit Card Program. She has a strong background as a Training Specialist, and
fraud controls. Her current role Serve as resource to approximately 6,000 staff and faculty
members: Creating, managing, and auditing Procurement policies. Facilitating training for
Procurement procedures, reviewing contracts with critical suppliers, and coordinating business
reviews; compiling analytics and key performance indicators for Procurement tea.

• Session 3: Sharing Economy – AirBNB / Lyft – Travelers’ are using these options - Incorporation into travel program to service Traveler needs ~ Jason Beckham, Airbnb & Tony Bandanza, Uber for Business (2nd Level, Conf. B)

Jason Beckham, Business Travel, Airbnb

Joining the team at Airbnb in May of 2015, Jason brings over 22 years of hospitality experience to his role in Business Travel.  Over the past 16 years while living in the city of San Francisco, he held Director of Sales and Marketing positions with Hilton, Marriott and Wyndham Hotels.

At Airbnb, Jason works with a team of Business Travel professionals who are getting Airbnb for Business in place as an option for business travelers and companies all over the world.  The team has helped companies like Salesforce, Morgan Stanley, Meritor, AOL, PayPal and thousands of others to incorporate Airbnb for Business into their travel programs.  Those companies and their travelers are now enjoying access to the best homes, duty of care integrations, data capture, prioritized customer support, cost savings and the unique benefits of staying in a home while in business destinations all over the world.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Relations from the University of North Carolina.   Though North Carolina will always be home to him, he is proud to be raising his 10-year-old son in the midst of San Francisco’s energy and diversity.

Tony Bandanza, Enterprise Account Executive, Uber for Business

Tony joined Uber in January 2016 as the Regional Manager of Trust & Safety for the Central & US West Regions. His core function was to develop and implement new processes and technology products to ensure Uber is a safe transportation option for both riders and drivers. Many of these features are now available in the app globally. Since January 2017 he has served as an Enterprise Account Executive, establishing corporate travel partnerships across the Midwest. Prior to joining Uber Tony spent 8 years at Wells Fargo establishing financial risk management programs for clients in the transportation, industrial manufacturing, and consumer packaged goods sectors. Tony holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University.

11:30a.m.  –12:30p.m.   Lunch (Salon IV & VI)

12:30p.m.–2:00p.m.     Afternoon Key Note Session: Key Note Speaker Mike Premo, President/CEO ARC ~ Changes on the horizon, learn ways ARC is aligning with technology to provide great service depth (Auditorium 1)

Mike Premo, President and CEO, ARC

As president and chief executive officer, and as a member of ARC’s board of directors, Mike Premo leads the company’s strategy in bringing airlines and their agents together to do more business and do it more efficiently. He and his executive team oversee operations for ARC’s traditional accreditation and settlement work and also its rapidly growing data business. Mike became ARC’s president and chief executive officer in June 2011 after serving as the company’s vice president of business development.

Before joining ARC in 2006, Mike served as the senior vice president of Global Network for TQ3 Travel Solutions and held senior executive positions at Navigant International, TQ3’s parent company. He also served as the president of SatoTravel from 1990 to 1999. Having grown up in Minnesota, Mike began his industry career as a reservations agent at Northwest Airlines, after which he entered the agency business at Gelco Travel. He is also the proud grandfather of three granddaughters.

2:15p.m. – 3:15p.m.   Breakout Sessions:

• Session 1: Breaking New Ground – Building The Business Case For a Bigger, Bolder Travel Program ~ Scott Gillespie (Auditorium 1)

• Session 2: Solving the Hotel Payment Gap, Servicing travelers without Plastic using VPmts ~ Heather Miller. NAPCP (2nd Level, Conf. A)

• Session 3: ARC & NDC – Enhanced Content/Service - Airline New Distribution Channel ~  Mike Premo, ARC (2nd Level, Conf. B)

3:15p.m. - 3:30p.m.     Afternoon Break (Atrium)

3:30p.m.– 4:30p.m.   Afternoon General Session: Servicing Travelers’ Meeting Needs – Aligning Transient and Group Programs ~ Christine Hunnes  (Auditorium 1)

Christine Hunnes, Global Travel and Meetings, Accenture

Christine Hunnes joined Accenture in 2008 with more than 25 years in the corporate meetings and travel industry. She is considered a Strategic Meetings Management Subject Matter Expert (SME).

Prior to joining Accenture, Christine was the Vice President, Strategic Meetings Management and Director, Strategic Account Management for a large travel management company. 

Christine holds a Master of Tourism Administration (MTA) from The George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Travel & Tourism Management) from Michigan State University.  

Christine currently serves on the GBTA task force designing a standard Strategic Meetings Management RFP and the task force reviewing the 2012 convention education sessions. 

Christine is a past member of GBTA’s Groups & Meetings Committee. She was also named one of the 2010 Top 20 Changemakers in the meetings industry by Corporate Meetings & Incentives magazine. 

Christine is Six Sigma Greenbelt Certified and holds a certificate of completion for the Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) designation.  

4:30p.m. - 4:45p.m.       Meeting Adjourned