Michael Kell, GLP, CCTE, CTE, CHRM
Director, Partner Engagement
Chicago,IL
Summary
Accomplished travel and hospitality leader with a strategic focus on relationship-building that drives growth and profitability. Proven expertise in supplier relations, fostering key partnerships while successfully executing cross-functional projects that minimize risk and maximize revenue. More than 30 years of experience positioning and implementing solutions across six continents.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
5
5
Certification
Work History
Director, Partner Engagement, Supplier Relations
Direct Travel
Chicago, IL
09.2022 - Current
- Company SME for payments, price assurance & duty of care
- Leveraged professional networks and industry knowledge to strengthen supplier and client relationships.
- Identified potential new suppliers to ensure alignment with internal business operations and revenue goals
- Delivered internal and client education sessions to improve awareness and adoption of key services and technology platforms designed to optimize travel management programs.
- Work closely with in-house legal counsel to streamline client amendments by creating templates, also ensuring that legal documents accurately describe partner service capabilities and options, pricing, and data management practices.
- Supported sales and account management teams with client presentations, RFP responses, pricing, and contract amendments.
- Participated in industry events including managing partner sponsorships and engagement.
- Drove opportunities to further optimize partner technology platforms through the development, testing, and deployment of new features aligned with internal business goals.
Licensed CAM
Firstservice Residential
Chicago, IL
10.2020 - 09.2022
- Quickly earned the trust of a professional board, governing in a litigious environment, while driving change and significant improvements in asset management, technology, procurement, supplier relations, and financial controls.
- Initiated and completed financial audits and a capital reserve study, ensuring proactive asset management supported by long-term budgeting and planning.
- Built collaborative and results-oriented relationships with unions and suppliers, that supported desired outcomes in planning, contract negotiations, and other initiatives to minimize risk and optimize financials.
Sr. Dir. Business Development
Cornerstone Information Systems
Chicago, IL
01.2017 - 05.2020
- Led business development and consulting initiatives positioning travel industry data management, reporting, and business process automation platforms. exceeding sales goals with an 18% year-over-year growth and 40% growth in 2019.
- Coached account management team on client optimation strategies, including solution selling, up-selling, and cross-selling.
- Leveraged consulting experience to manage at-risk clients to stability and growth, while optimizing clients' agency and travel management programs.
- Managed presence at trade shows and partner events improving engagement and ROI.
Sr. Dir. Global Sales & Marketing
Millennium Hotels & Resorts
Chicago, IL
04.2015 - 09.2016
- Overcame organizational silos, building a collaborative global sales organization, that delivered 22%+ revenue gains.
- Resolved an inherited breakdown in global reporting, delivering a new global standard for revenue and transaction reporting.
- Managed the contacting, global implementation, and training, of sales-centric partner technology platforms, achieving a 100% adoption rate worldwide.
- Worked closely with CFO to reengineer six GSO expense budgets to better align with $150M+ in revenue budgets and to improve ROI reporting by sales category.
- Managed all consortium and TMC relationships, including related budgets, events, sponsorships, contracts, and financial tracking and incentives.
- Mentored city and regional managers to be more collaborative, efficient, and unified with the GSO, targeting and closing business to optimize revenue and benefits of strategic partner partnerships.
Sr. Vice President
Analytica Connections
Toronto, ON
05.2013 - 04.2015
- Managed on-shore and off-shore software development teams, building technology platforms for travel, hospitality, and procurement.
- Managed third-party development and business process platforms, ADP, Salesforce, etc.
Manager
Expedia Group Canada
Toronto, ON
08.2012 - 05.2013
- Managed meeting and event operations, meeting planners, and third-party technology platforms such as Cvent, supporting an Expedia acquisition of a North American meeting and events company.
Vice President
Cvent, (AKA Lanyon)
Toronto, ON & Fort Lauderdale, FL
04.2007 - 05.2012
- Led sales of consulting and enterprise travel procurement and auditing platforms, personally closing over 30% of the Fortune 1000 in addition to TMCs and hotel chains.
- Managed expos, including associated budgets, sponsorships, presentations, and events.
- Made significant contributions to product development.
Education
HIGHER EDUCATION - Global Leadership Professional (GLP)
Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA02.2006
Graduate Program - Philosophy
University of Saint Mary of The Lake
Mundelein, IL05.1991
Bachelor of Arts - Business Communications
DePauw University
Greencastle, IN05.1980
Skills
- Supplier & Partner Optimization
- Sales Leadership, Support & Education
- Contract Negotiations & Management
- Budgeting, Expense & AP Management
- Financial Reporting
- Events and Exposition Management
Accomplishments
- Meliá Hotels International, Sr. Director, Corporate, Consortium & Government Sales, The Americas.
- Galileo International (AKA Travelport, GRS Network) | Sr. Manager Global Account Management & Vice President GRS Network.
- Utell Hotels & Resorts (AKA Pegasus Solutions, Reed Elsevier) | A Global Hotel Technology & Marketing Services Company | Sr. Director Marketing Services.
- Maritz | Travel, Incentives & Marketing Performance Improvement Company | Sr. Manager National Reservations Center & Special Projects
- BTI Americas (AKA World Travel Partners. BCD Travel) | A Global Business Travel Management Company | Sr. Global Account & Operations Manager.
Additional Information
- State of Illinois Office of Professional Regulation: CAM #261-002777 | August 2025
- State of Illinois: Notary Commission #954397| June 2026
Boards
- Shoreline Towers Home Owner Association | 2020-2024
- Howard Brown Health Community Advisory Board | 2023-present
- Global Business Travel Association Canada | 2010-2014
- Grove at River Oaks Home Owners Association | 2007-2009
- US-Spain Chamber of Commerce | 2004-2006
Certification
- CCTE {2006}, CTE {2010}, GBTA-GLP {2010} | Global Business Travel Association
- CHO {2007} | Asian American Hotel Owners Association
- CGSP {2020}, CHRM {2007, 2012, 2017} | Hospitality Sales Marketing Association International
Software (A)=System ADMIN Experience)
Business: Salesforce (A), LinkedIn Sales Navigator (A), DocuSign (A) ADP (A) Adobe, Balsamiq, Trello, Smartsheet, Multiple Virtual Meeting Platforms
Travel: Multiple Expense, Multiple OBTs, Cvent, iBank (A), iQCX, Policy Compliance Manager, TravelOptix (A), Oversee Savings Portal, Emburse Analytics
Microsoft 365: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint, Teams, Outlook
Authorized Work
Dual Citizenship, United States & Canada
Timeline
Director, Partner Engagement, Supplier Relations
Direct Travel
09.2022 - Current
Licensed CAM
Firstservice Residential
10.2020 - 09.2022
Sr. Dir. Business Development
Cornerstone Information Systems
01.2017 - 05.2020
Sr. Dir. Global Sales & Marketing
Millennium Hotels & Resorts
04.2015 - 09.2016
Sr. Vice President
Analytica Connections
05.2013 - 04.2015
Manager
Expedia Group Canada
08.2012 - 05.2013
Vice President
Cvent, (AKA Lanyon)
04.2007 - 05.2012
HIGHER EDUCATION - Global Leadership Professional (GLP)
Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania
Graduate Program - Philosophy
University of Saint Mary of The Lake
Bachelor of Arts - Business Communications
DePauw University
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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