GBTA Announces New Board of Directors Following 2015 Special Election

Christle Johnson to Serve as President, Mark Ziegler as Vice President

Alexandria, VA (September 25, 2015) — The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the voice of the global business travel industry, announced the results of its 2015 Special Election. Christle Johnson, Vice President, Travel & Business Services Johnson Downie LLC, will serve as President. Mark Ziegler, Senior Travel Manager Americas, NetApp, will serve as the new GBTA Vice President. Johnson and Ziegler were elected by GBTA Direct Members (business travel buyers), and will serve two-year terms.

“I am honored and excited to take on the role of GBTA President. Whether it is education and professional development opportunities or industry research and legislative advocacy, the entire business travel industry benefits from the work of our Association. I look forward to continue working with and listening to our Members, ensuring GBTA’s position as the leading voice in business travel,” said Christle Johnson.

Johnson has been a GBTA Member for 14 years – 8 as an Allied Member followed by 6 as a Direct Member – serving most recently as Board Vice President. She also has previously served as a Board Member at Large, on various committees and on the Chapter Presidents’ Council.
Ziegler has been a GBTA member since 2000. He has been active in local chapters and has previously served on the National Business Travel Association Board as a Board Member at Large and on various committees.

The GBTA Direct Members elected Bhart Sarin, Global Procurement, Ingredion Incorporated; Cindy Shumate, Travel Program Manager, Princeton University; and Karin Thompson, Senior Global Travel Manager, ViaSat, Inc. They will each serve a three-year term.

The GBTA Allied Members elected Billy Bos, Associate Director of Group Worldwide Sales, Best Western International. He will serve a two-year term.

The GBTA Chapter Presidents’ Council (CPC) elected Gloria Gonzalez, Lhoist North America to serve as the president of the Chapter Presidents’ Council. Gonzalez will serve a two-year term, beginning today and will also sit on the GBTA Board of Directors. Also, John Hampton, Enterprise Holdings, was elected to serve as CPC’s Vice President and Samantha Bean, LTD Hospitality Group, was elected to serve as Secretary Treasurer.

Se aprobó la enmienda propuesta a los estatutos de GBTA.

Donna Kelliher will move into the role of chairperson and past president.

CONTACT: Colleen Gallagher, +1 703-236-1133, [email protected]

Acerca de la Asociación Global de Viajes de Negocios
La Asociación Global de Viajes de Negocios (GBTA) es la principal organización comercial de viajes de negocios y reuniones del mundo con sede en el área de Washington, DC y operaciones en seis continentes. Los más de 9000 miembros de GBTA administran anualmente más de $345 mil millones de viajes de negocios globales y gastos de reuniones. GBTA y la Fundación GBTA brindan educación, eventos, investigación, defensa y medios de clase mundial a una red global en crecimiento de más de 28,000 profesionales de viajes y 125,000 contactos activos. Para aprender cómo los viajes de negocios impulsan el crecimiento empresarial duradero, gbta.org