|
of Directors; John Russell and Larry Hough |
MCLEAN, VA � November 11, 2002 � Jim Kelly, president
and CEO of SynXis, a leading provider of reservation management and distribution
systems for the hospitality industry, announced today the appointment of
John Russell, CEO of Hospitality Artists, LLC and immediate past chair
of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Larry Hough, president
and CEO of Sato Travel, a Navigant International Company, to the company�s
Board of Directors.
Kelly explains, �Both John and Larry have valuable experience in the hospitality and travel industry and we are honored to welcome them to the SynXis Board. Their sharp understanding of the hotel and travel sector will provide SynXis with two very valued resources.� Russell has more than 25 years of experience in the hotel business and is nationally known for his innovative marketing, management, leadership, and sales expertise. He is currently Chairman of the American Hotel and Lodging Education Foundation and a Partner in international marketing, advertising and public relations company, Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell in Orlando, Florida. During his term as chairman of AH & LA, Russell led AH&LA to increase its membership base by 22 percent � adding nearly 300,000 rooms and over 3,000 lodging properties. Immediately preceding his last position, Russell served as vice chairman of Cendant�s Travel Division and president/CEO of Resort Condominium International LLC, Global Operations. Prior to that, he was chairman and chief executive officer of Cendant�s Hotel Division, where he oversaw eight hotel brands including Days Inns, Ramada, and Super 8. From 1995 to 1996 he was executive vice president of franchise sales for the Century 21 Real Estate Corporation; under his direction, Century 21 franchise sales grew by 600 percent. Mr. Hough is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of SatoTravel, a Navigant International company. In June 2001, Navigant International Inc., the nation�s fourth largest supplier of corporate travel management services, acquired SatoTravel. As a result of the June 2001 acquisition, Navigant International is now the nation�s second largest travel management company. Mr. Hough was formerly President and CEO of Sallie Mae, the nation�s largest source of student loan assistance. Under his leadership, Sallie Mae became the first government-sponsored enterprise to achieve full private status through federal privatization legislation. Upon leaving Sallie Mae in 1997, Mr. Hough formed Stuart Mill Capital, Inc., and with other investors, acquired SatoTravel in January 1999. Commenting on his appointment to the SynXis Board of Directors, Russell notes, �I am excited about this opportunity to work with SynXis. As the company continues to distinguish itself as an innovative leader in the reservation distribution market, I look forward to working with the SynXis team and sharing my experience.� Hough adds, �It is great to be involved with a company like SynXis because I believe it is one of the leading edge companies in its field. I am looking forward to working with the team to achieve the company�s goals.� About SynXis Corporation
SynXis' corporate headquarters are in McLean, VA, with offices in Denver, CO, and The Netherlands. For more information on SynXis and its products, please call 703-448-2530, e-mail [email protected], or visit our Web site at www.synxis.com. |
###
Carol C. Levitt
|