ROSEMONT, IL, December 16, 2010 - ABC Global Services announces the appointment of Patti Free as senior director, business development. Patti will be charged with the strategic growth and development of ABC’s leisure customer base. Ms. Free will focus on all sectors of this segment on a global basis, including travel agency groups, at-home agent networks, and associations at both existing ABC accounts as well as new business opportunities. Leading a team of business development managers, Patti’s reach will be international, supporting the distribution of ABC Global Services’ products and services. She will report to Cynthia Kropp, executive vice president, marketing and business development.
Patti brings to ABC an extensive background in travel and hospitality spanning more than 20 years. Her career began with Westin Hotels where she worked in operations, management, and sales and marketing. Patti’s skills were also honed working with hotel management companies supporting chain brands and independent hoteliers. With her hotel sales and marketing experience as a base of knowledge, Patti moved to the agency side in the mid 1990s and since then has worked directly with individual agencies, agency networks and associations focused on leisure travel. Over this time she has developed marketing programs, products and services that provide efficiency and value to the leisure travel agent community and its clients.
“We are excited to have Patti on board,” said Cynthia Kropp. “Patti brings a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise combined with a leisure travel perspective that aligns with ABC’s global scope and future objectives. She will help position ABC to meet our customers’ varied needs beyond the scope of corporate travel and grow our base in a host of new directions,” Kropp added.
About ABC Global Services. ABC Global Services is a leading provider of services to the global travel agency and corporate communities, which focuses on providing value and premier benefits. Providing progressive solutions, exclusive offerings and innovative programs, ABC Global Services offers the ABC Premier Hotel Program™ (including EZ Book with ABC hotel booking engine), ABC Global Connect™, and a host of preferred supplier programs. ABC’s subscriber base includes more than 7,600 agency locations in 76 countries. These subscribers represent more than six million room nights annually, providing revenues to hotels nearing a billion dollars (USD). Founded in 1978, ABC Global Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Thomas Cook. More information can be found at www.abcglobal.travel.
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