Background Information
James S. deBettencourt, Ph.D.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Northwestern University, Urban and Regional Planning, 1979
M.S. Northwestern University, Urban and Regional Planning, 1975
B.S. in Civil Engineering, Northwestern University, 1973
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Independent Consultant 2001-present
As an Independent Consultant, specializing in the planning and evaluation of Internet or other networked computer systems and services. Consulting expertise in use of XML for the transportation and travel industry, and e-business development
Director, Strategic Development - McCord Travel Management 1996-2001
Responsible for developing business strategies for all business lines (Business Travel, Group Services, and Consumer Direct) in conjunction with senior management. Key research and development role. Included prototyping, testing, and deploying on-line services. Responsibilities included management of 20+ person IT department that was responsible for all financial reporting, accounting, and networked computer systems operations. Co-Chairperson for the Non-Supplier Working Group of the Open Travel Alliance.
Nidus Weavers Company 1994-1996
Co-founder of Internet Service Provider: Planned, developed and financed an innovative Internet services company serving small businesses and non-profits with four other partners. Coordinated customer Web site development and implementation. Served as Vice President for services planning and marketing.
Independent/Associate Consultant 1994-1996
As an Independent Consultant, specialized in the planning and evaluation of Internet or other networked computer systems and services - primarily for the transportation and travel industry. Consulting projects included the review of a proposed satellite time-reservation system for a major international satellite company, the development of online community mortgage information systems, a market research study sponsored by a major travel industry publishing company to assess automated hotel information sources, and ongoing annual benchmarking studies of the costs and efficiency of chain-operated central reservations systems for major hotel corporations.
Apollo Travel Services/Covia Partnership/Galileo International 1987-1994
Progressive positions within this international provider of airline and travel industry reservations services. Managed business analysis staff responsible for pricing and operations analyses including marketing systems tracking sales commissions and lease discounts. Developed analyses supporting alternative pricing strategies for travel agency contracts and pioneered productivity-based pricing systems and support services. Initiated the development activity for consumer-targeted airline and travel reservation software. Assisted in strategic plan development, product/market analyses, and competitive analyses including quarterly economic reviews and technology assessments. Conducted technology research projects, prepared and presented technology impact analyses. Analyzed applicability of emerging multimedia and geographic information systems to support detailed business planning for CD-ROM-based hotel mapping product. Reviewed neural networks, artificial intelligence and other advanced analysis and visualization technologies supporting subsequent development of AI-based scheduling approaches by Covia Technologies.
United Airlines 1984-1987
Progressive positions within the Marketing and Planning Division of this major $10B+ airline. Responsible for managing marketing requirements for corporate automation systems and business processes. Developed the Division's requirements for revenue-management, pricing and yield-management systems. Managed the twenty-five person professional staff providing yearly yield-management-based revenue improvements in excess of $100 million. Developed and implemented enhanced revenue and yield management systems using economic measures of product value and real-time market demand estimation. Pioneered the development and use of a new inventory-recovery or economic performance indicator to specify best overbooking and discount seat allocation rules on all flights. Conducted statistical analyses of consumer market research and airline revenue and pricing data. Developed consumer market segmentation analyses for airline product differentiation.
University of Illinois at Chicago 1979-1984
Assistant Professor, School of Urban Planning and Policy
Responsible for graduate courses in statistics, economics, transportation systems planning and public policy analysis. Funded research and publications in industrial policy, technology transfer, and quantitative methods.