Leadership
Ralph A. Kaiser
President, CEO and Chairman of the Board
Ralph Kaiser is President, CEO & Chairman of the Board of UATP. Appointed in 2003, he has launched and led several important UATP growth initiatives resulting in network charge volume growth of US$ 7 billion. Among these achievements is UATP’s new DataStream suite of products which has lowered the barrier to entry for Issuers and provided state-of-the-art data management tools to UATP corporate customers. Previous to his appointment as CEO, Kaiser was UATP General Counsel.
Before joining UATP, Kaiser worked at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) as an advisor to the senior management and the Board of Directors for both organizations. He holds an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University and a law degree (JD) from the Emory University School of Law.
Tom Cunningham
Vice President, Business Development
As vice president of Business Development, Tom Cunningham manages the research and development of new business opportunities as well as industry risk analysis for UATP member airlines. These projects require the Business Development team to work and coordinate closely with all UATP departments, member airlines and outside vendor parties. Cunningham received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Banking and Finance) and a Juris Doctor degree, both from the University of Arkansas. He has held previous positions as a Legislative Assistant to a United States Representative, an associate attorney and as a vice president of an internet-based sales company.
David Holmes
Vice President, Global Sales
David Holmes joined UATP in July of 2002 and currently serves as Vice President, Global Sales where he is responsible for the development and execution of the company’s sales strategies with prospective airline issuers and merchants. Holmes also oversees the management of UATP’s existing airline relationships and is tasked with growing the base of airline merchants who leverage UATP’s alternative payment connectivity and back-office reconciliation offerings. Prior to joining UATP, Holmes was with EchoStar Communication’s Dish Network division where he was responsible for business-to-business product sales in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan region.
Holmes holds a B.S. in Marketing from George Mason University and an M.B.A. from the University of Miami.
Wendy L. Ward
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
As Vice President of Marketing & Communications at UATP, Wendy L. Ward is responsible for developing and implementing all marketing, communications, brand and promotional activities. The marketing department supports efforts by UATP to increase product awareness, grow membership, develop strategic business operations and position the UATP brand as the unifying ingredient for its Issuing airlines and more than 250 accepting airlines and thousands of travel agencies worldwide. Ward also heads the insurance division charged with growing membership base and product development.Ward brings more than 15 years of global experience in marketing and communications experience to UATP. She holds an MBA in International Business & Finance & Accounting, and a BA in International Affairs.
Patricia Vercelli
General Counsel
Patricia Vercelli serves as General Counsel to UATP, and represents the company on commercial and legal affairs, international issues, and corporate governance matters relating to the organization’s board and shareholders. Prior to joining UATP, Vercelli worked as a lawyer in the Washington, DC offices of the Philadelphia law firm of Drinker, Biddle & Reath LLP. She received an LLM (Master of Laws) in International Law from Georgetown University Law Center, and a JD (Juris Doctor) from the American University. Patricia is a member of the US Supreme Court Bar, the American Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association and the Maryland Bar Association.
Philip Ziegler
Vice President, Operations
Philip Ziegler joined UATP in July 2006 and currently serves as Vice President, Operations where he is responsible for global operational support of Issuers, Merchants, and other partners. Ziegler also oversees UATP’s transaction processing network, ATCAN; administers UATP’s Data Security Policy; oversees data quality management; and manages UATP’s data analytics tool, ATCAN Online. Ziegler holds a B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Gary Zannotti
Vice President, Issuer Services
Gary Zannotti joined UATP in 2000 and currently serves as Vice President, Issuer Services. In this position, Zannotti is responsible for UATP’s Issuer Service Center and managing the DataStream platform. He previously held the position of Vice President, Operations and Services for UATP. Zannotti began his career in the airline industry in 1997 as the Senior Financial Analyst for American Airlines (AA), and later was promoted to Marketing Development Manager. Zannotti obtained his MBA and undergraduate degree in Business Administration at Oklahoma State University.
