Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> January 20, 1999
JOSEPH V. VITTORIA is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Travel
Company, a new public company that is changing the traditional
distribution system in the travel industry. From 1987 to 1997, he was
chairman and chief executive officer of Avis, Inc. and was president and
chief operating officer for the five years prior. His success at Avis led
to his selection as the salaried and management representative to the
board of UAL Corporation for its initial four-year term in 1994 when it
created its landmark ESOP. He now serves on the boards of CD Radio, Inc.,
Carey International, Inc., ResortQuest International, Inc. and Membertek
International, Inc. Mr. Vittoria was born on Long Island in 1935 and
holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Yale University and an MBA from
Columbia Business School. He also holds an honorary doctor of laws degree
from Molloy College. Mr. Vittoria serves as an advisory director of the
National Crime Prevention Council. In recognition of his efforts on
behalf of missing children, he served on President Reagan's Child Safety
Partnership. Mr. Vittoria is currently president of the Alumni
Association's board of directors of Columbia Business School. He was the
founding chairman and now remains a member of the board of visitors of
the Georgetown University School of Language and Linguistics. Mr.
Vittoria also serves as a member of the board of directors of the
National Center for Disability Services located in Albertson, New York
and the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City. Profile
services and customers?
Mr. Vittoria: The company was founded in July of 1997. We took it public
actually at its
