The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the voice of the global business travel industry – today announced U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole will be a featured speaker at Center Stage at the GBTA Convention 2014 to be held July 26-30 in Los Angeles, Calif.

“We are pleased to welcome Administrator Pistole as a featured speaker at Convention this year,” said Michael W. McCormick, executive director and COO, GBTA. “The business travel industry and TSA are firmly linked as U.S. businesses, send their road warriors on more than 400 million business trips each year and depend on TSA’s consistent efforts to reduce unnecessary travel hassles while ensuring aviation security.” 

John Pistole was sworn in as Administrator of TSA in July 2010. Under his leadership, TSA continues to grow as a risk-based, intelligence-driven counterterrorism agency dedicated to protecting the U.S. transportation systems. He oversees management of a 60,000-strong workforce, the security operations of more than 450 federalised airports throughout the U.S., the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the security for highways, railroads, ports, mass transit systems and pipelines. Prior to beginning his career at TSA, Pistole was a 26-year veteran of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with extensive national security and counterterrorism experience. He was put in charge of the FBI’s expanded Counterterrorism Program, eventually becoming the FBI’s Executive Assistant Director for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence. In 2004, Pistole was named Deputy Director for the FBI.

The 2014 Convention theme, Business in Motion, aptly describes how the event will unfold as nearly 7,000 attendees from all facets of the business travel industry come together for five days of continuous motion at the business travel event of the year. GBTA will broadcast LIVE from the LA Convention Center, bringing you world-class keynote speakers, more than 70 industry-leading education sessions, the largest business travel expo floor, a wide selection of professional development opportunities and much more providing attendees the opportunity to build their careers and get business done.