Alexandria, VA – The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the voice of the global business travel industry – today announced U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole will be a featured speaker at Center Stage at the GBTA Convention 2014 to be held July 26-30 in Los Angeles, Calif.

“We are pleased to welcome Administrator Pistole as a featured speaker at Convention this year,” said Michael W. McCormick, executive director and COO, GBTA. “The business travel industry and TSA are firmly linked as U.S. businesses, send their road warriors on more than 400 million business trips each year and depend on TSA’s consistent efforts to reduce unnecessary travel hassles while ensuring aviation security.”

John Pistole was sworn in as Administrator of TSA in July 2010. Under his leadership, TSA continues to grow as a risk-based, intelligence-driven counterterrorism agency dedicated to protecting the U.S. transportation systems. He oversees management of a 60,000-strong workforce, the security operations of more than 450 federalized airports throughout the U.S., the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the security for highways, railroads, ports, mass transit systems and pipelines. Prior to beginning his career at TSA, Pistole was a 26-year veteran of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with extensive national security and counterterrorism experience. He was put in charge of the FBI’s expanded Counterterrorism Program, eventually becoming the FBI’s Executive Assistant Director for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence. In 2004, Pistole was named Deputy Director for the FBI.

The 2014 Convention theme, Business in Motion, aptly describes how the event will unfold as nearly 7,000 attendees from all facets of the business travel industry come together for five days of continuous motion at the business travel event of the year. GBTA will broadcast LIVE from the LA Convention Center, bringing you world-class keynote speakers, more than 70 industry-leading education sessions, the largest business travel expo floor, a wide selection of professional development opportunities and much more providing attendees the opportunity to build their careers and get business done.

Attendee registration is open now. New programs and speakers will be unveiled throughout 2014. For the latest developments and more information, please visit gbta.org/convention.

Media registration is complimentary and available online.

About GBTA Convention

The GBTA Convention, with nearly 7,000 attendees, is the largest, most comprehensive annual gathering of business travel and meetings managers, meeting planners, procurement professionals and suppliers anywhere in the world. The Business Travel Event of the Year ® features: more than 70 industry-leading education sessions organized into 20+ specialized tracks geared to specific levels of experience and a variety of disciplines; a 400+ company Exposition showcasing market choices not available at other industry gatherings; sessions featuring world-renowned speakers and industry leaders; a wide selection of professional development opportunities; and, much more. For more information on the GBTA Convention, visit .

About the Global Business Travel Association

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and meetings organization. Collectively, GBTA’s 6,000-plus members manage over $340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA provides its network of 21,000 business and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, with networking events, news, education & professional development, research, and advocacy. For more information, visit

Colleen Gallagher
+1 703 236 1133
GBTA