Travelweb LLC Executive Team Leads Charge to Redefine Online Net-Rate Hotel Distribution Landscape
Seasoned Management Team Spearheaded by Veteran Travel and Hospitality Executive

DALLAS--Dallas-based Travelweb LLC today officially announced its executive management team, led by travel and hospitality industry veteran Joe Humphry as chief executive officer. The newly appointed executive team includes Caryn R. Smith, vice president of finance; Thomas J. Marsan, general manger of Travelweb LLC; Chris R. Kuhn, chief technology officer and general manager of
"We are excited to formally introduce Travelweb LLC's team of talented individuals who are helping lead the charge to change the online net-rate hotel distribution landscape – benefiting both hoteliers and consumers," said Joe Humphry, chief executive officer of Travelweb LLC. "We assembled a team of seasoned professionals familiar with working in a high-energy atmosphere and with an in-depth knowledge of the travel and hospitality sectors. It is clear to me we successfully created that team, and are well on our way to continue expansion of Travelweb LLC's network of online distribution affiliates and hotel partners, as well as building the new Travelweb.com consumer site."
Travelweb LLC employs the industry's first automated model to distribute net-rate hotel room inventory from the majority of hotels in North America available to consumers. This new model enables hoteliers to offer consumers up-to-the-minute discounted hotel rooms directly from hotels' central reservations systems (CRS) and to dynamically allocate net-rate inventory while managing yield and revenues in real time. Travelweb LLC net-rate hotel offerings are currently being distributed to consumers via third-party affiliate Web sites such as Orbitz (www.orbitz.com). The company recently signed on Continental Airlines' Web site () to become a net-rate distribution partner in the first quarter of 2003.
The Travelweb LLC Executive Team Bios:
- Joe Humphry - chief executive officer; Humphry joined Travelweb LLC from his consulting firm, Humphry Service Corporation, which boasted an extensive portfolio of clients and provided marketing services to companies such as American Airlines and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Prior to his consulting career, Humphry worked at American Airlines as senior director of leisure marketing and managing director of sales development. Previously, he held positions at Texas Air Corporation as director of leisure marketing and at TransWorld Airlines in sales and marketing. He was also a partner in the incentive/charter operator Travel Sales International.
- Caryn R. Smith - vice president of finance; Smith joined Travelweb LLC from The Destination Group where she was a vice president of acquisitions, focusing on travel and leisure investments for the private equity firm. Previously, Smith held a variety of positions with AMR Corporation, culminating in director of worldwide marketing for its Sabre Inc. division.
- Thomas J. Marsan - general manager of Travelweb LLC; Marsan joined Travelweb LLC from Priceline.com where he was vice president of revenue management for its hotel product. Prior to Priceline.com, Marsan spent six years in the credit card industry with First USA and Paymentech, holding positions in customer service, process engineering, acquisitions, and back office operations. Marsan also held various positions in the pricing and yield management department of American Airlines.
- Chris R. Kuhn - chief technology officer and general manager of Travelweb.com; Kuhn joined Travelweb LLC from TravelNow.com where he was senior vice president and chief information officer until it was sold to Hotel Reservation Networks in 2001. Prior to TravelNow.com, Kuhn held various director and senior management positions within the computer engineering divisions of Compaq and Digital Equipment Corporation. He also held various management positions within MCI Telecommunications, which included the development of Web-based support and marketing tools.
- Jaynne Allison - vice president and general counsel; Allison joined Travelweb LLC from American Airlines where she spent 18 years in numerous executive positions, including vice president of human resources, vice president of corporate real estate and attorney. Prior to American Airlines, Allison worked as an attorney for the Salt Lake City law firm of Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall and McCarthy.
The Travelweb LLC Automated Model - For years, hoteliers have been using an antiquated and inefficient method to distribute discount hotel inventory via the Internet. Traditionally, wholesale travel agencies and Web sites fax or e-mail consumer room requests to the hotel properties. These requests are manually keyed into hotels' property management systems. However, often there are missing faxes, incorrect reservations and numerous customer service nightmares for hotel operators. In addition, consumers typically receive a confirmation number from the Web site, NOT from the hotel property – often leading to lack of consumer confidence that their rooms will be ready upon arrival to their destination.
Through Pegasus Solutions' leading technology, Travelweb LLC changed the net-rate distribution landscape by introducing the hotel industry's first direct connection to hotels' central reservations systems. For hotel operators, Travelweb LLC automates the distribution of net-rate rooms by enabling them to allot discounted inventory in real time and better manage yield and revenue for rooms that may otherwise go unsold. Consumers now have direct access to the majority of hotel companies and can search a wide selection of retail hotel room rates worldwide and a great selection of North American discounted rates that are often the most competitive on the Internet. Once a room is booked through one of Travelweb LLC's private-label affiliate Web sites, such as Orbitz and , consumers receive a confirmation number directly from the hotel's CRS, not from the travel Web site, helping to ensure hassle-free check-in for travelers and higher customer satisfaction.
About Travelweb LLC - Travelweb LLC, owned by Hilton Hotels Corporation, Hyatt Corporation, Marriott International, Six Continents Hotels, Starwood Hotels, and travel technology provider Pegasus Solutions, Inc., offers an innovative new method for the online distribution of hotel rooms. For hotel operators, Travelweb LLC automates the distribution of discounted rooms and brings new cost and time efficiencies to the market. Through Travelweb's private label offerings distributed via leading third-party affiliates such as Orbitz and , consumers can shop for and reserve a full spectrum of hotel product, including some of the best deals available. Originally launched as Hotel Distribution System LLC in February 2002, Travelweb is a private company headquartered in Dallas.
Teresa Fereday
972/628-7524