Cendant Travel Distribution Services
(TDS) announced today that it had hired David Falter - formerly executive director of the Center for Technology Commercialization at Northwestern University - as the new president of Travelport Corporate Solutions, effective May 31. Falter will report to Samuel L. Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Cendant TDS.
Falter’s appointment continues the momentum Travelport has experienced as a provider of high quality, integrated business travel services since its formal launch last summer. Since that time, the company has experienced solid growth with significant domestic and international customer wins and a 93 percent growth in year-over-year transaction volume. Travelport also launched the industry-first “end-to-end” solution comprised of online booking, GDS and fulfillment services from a single source.

Falter joins the company as it continues that success with year to date 2004 revenue growth of 116 percent. Additionally, Travelport customers report an average adoption rate of 70 percent against eligible transactions. This is above PhoCusWright’s reported industry average of 35 percent for 2003 and predicted average for 2006 of 48 percent. And, Travelport customers’ “touchless transactions” rate is 80 percent. All of this speaks to the quality of the company’s products, services and people and sets the table for Fatler to lead the company to greater heights in the coming months and years.

Falter brings an impressive track record of experience in executive leadership, entrepreneurial success, software and the Internet to a growing Travelport that will directly benefit the company’s more than 280 customers—including 50 Fortune 500 companies—and its employees worldwide.

“David has exactly the right combination of sales and marketing acumen, management skill, strategic insights and operational ability to continue and accelerate Travelport’s competitive position and numerous successes,” said Katz.

His appointment to the helm of Travelport also demonstrates TDS’s continued commitment to attract top executive talent who strengthen and advance the company’s position as one of the leading brands in the global, business-travel industry.

“We are serious about competing and winning in this market, and David’s hire is our latest step in stacking the deck at Travelport and TDS with top- notch leaders like Marka Jenkins, Kurt Ekert, Richard Case and others.”
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