Michael Kistner - Profile - Michael Kistner is CIO and vice president, Information Systems for Best Western International, the world's largest lodging brand. He is responsible for all telecommunication, information and E-commerce systems at Best Western. In his role as president of the OpenTravel Alliance (OTA), Kistner provides strategic direction to OTA, charged with developing communications specifications to enable efficient and effective electronic exchange of travel industry information. Kistner has tremendous knowledge within the hospitality industry, having previously served as senior vice president of the E-Commerce Center and Hotel Information Technology at Cendant Corporation in Phoenix. There he was involved in Internet vendor management, resource allocation, organization formation, strategic planning, hospitality systems planning, development and implementation from property-based systems to host central reservation systems and other electronic distribution systems. Previously, Kistner worked for Super 8 Motels where he held the executive vice president of Operations position. He headed the IT, Reservations, Corporate Travel, Guest Service, Convention Planning, Corporate and Franchise Insurance and Facilities Management departments. Kistner was also vice president, Management Information Systems and Reservations at HFS, Inc. in Phoenix from 1993 to 1996. He was responsible for all information systems to include financial, marketing and central reservation aspects. Kistner holds Bachelor of Science and Associate of Arts degrees in accounting and information systems from Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD, and a Master of Science degree in information systems from Colorado State University.

The OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) develops communications specifications to allow for the efficient and effective exchange of travel industry information via the Internet. With over 150 members representing influential names in all sectors of the travel industry, OTA is comprised of representatives from the airlines, car rental agencies, hotels, leisure suppliers, non-suppliers, tour operators, and trade associations. These travel industries, together with an OTA interoperability committee to coordinate their efforts, are developing open Internet-compatible messages using XML data terms.