Marriott's Vice President of Travel Industry Relations - Fred Miller - to Retire

Fred Miller, vice president of travel industry relations for Marriott International, is to retire from the company on May 2, following 32 years of Renaissance and Marriott service. Fred is currently responsible for establishing and maintaining Marriott’s position as a leader on issues that are vital to those travel industry sales professionals in the global marketplace. He is also responsible for leading a team in the development and execution of Marriott’s wholesale strategies and programs.

Fred, a 40-year veteran in the lodging industry, joined Marriott International in early 1997 as part of the company’s acquisition of the Renaissance Hotel Group. He began his career in the lodging industry in Atlanta as a national sales manager with Holiday Inn. Since then, he held positions of increasing sales, revenue management and reservations responsibilities with the former Stouffer Hotel and Renaissance Hotel groups.

“We are grateful for Fred’s many contributions to our company and the travel industry. He will be missed,” said Julius Robinson, vice president of intermediaries for Marriott International. “His legacy continues with many of the programs he helped to pioneer at Marriott and beyond.”

While at Marriott International, Fred was responsible for several industry-pioneering initiatives. He is a leader in the development of automation between tour wholesalers and hotel suppliers, and was responsible for the creation of Marriott’s Hotel Excellence! Travel Agent training program, along with its Preferred Travel Agency Commission Program.

His other high-profile travel industry contributions included the development of the first group tour guide for motor coach operators, the development of the first hotel voucher program, and the development of a free wheel fly drive program with American Airlines.

Over the years, Fred earned many awards, including being named the National Business Travel Association’s “1993 Allied Member of the Year.”

He is a member of the Advisory Boards of the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) and the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA); and a Board Member of Tourism Cares and of Traveling Times. From 2000-2004, he served as Chairman of the Institute of Business Travel Management. He earned his Certified Travel Counselor and Certified Travel Industry Executive designations from the Travel Institute.

See other recent news regarding: Travel News Asia, Marriott