The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the voice of the global business travel industry – today unveiled the new, 'Mavericks of Business – CEO panel,' bringing together pioneers in business, including Bill Taylor, co-founder of Fast Company; Gary C. Kelly, president and CEO, Southwest Airlines; Gamal Aziz, president and CEO, MGM Mirage Hospitality; and Robert Stephens, founder & COO, GeekSquad; CTO, Best Buy, Inc. The panel will take place Wednesday, August 24, 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM MST at the annual 2011 GBTA Convention in Denver, Colorado, August 21 – 24, 2011.

The panel will explore how industry leaders at the forefront of the travel, hospitality, technology and customer service industries think. These leaders will also discuss the process of translating creativity, vision and strategy into execution and innovation in the competitive travel industry.

Said Michael W. McCormick, executive director and COO, GBTA, "This will be an exciting panel at our Convention where some of the most creative minds in the business world will discuss how they put their ideas into practice. Their insights on travel, business and hospitality are sure to push the envelope and give us a new way of thinking about our issues. This panel will generate thought provoking ideas and discussion - both during and after the session."

Bill Taylor is a writer, a speaker, and entrepreneur who has shaped the global conversation about the best ways to compete, innovate, and succeed. As a co-founder and founding editor of Fast Company, Bill launched a magazine that won countless awards, and earned a following among executives and entrepreneurs around the world. His previous book, Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win, was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, and was named a Business Book of the Year by The Economist and the Financial Times. In addition to his books, Taylor also writes a popular management blog for Harvard Business Review and is an adjunct lecturer at Babson College.

Gary C. Kelly, chairman of the board, president and CEO of Southwest Airlines has been with the company for over 24 years. Kelly began his career at Southwest as Controller and worked his way up, holding the positions of chief financial officer, executive vice president until being promoted to the role CEO and vice chairman in 2004, assuming the role of chairman in 2008. Southwest Airlines is celebrating 38 years of consecutive profitability and was named #1 in Customer Satisfaction by the Department of Transportation in 2009. For the 13^th year in a row, Fortune magazine listed Southwest Airlines among the world's most admired corporations. Kelly has received numerous awards and recognitions during his illustrious career.

Gamal Aziz is president and chief executive officer of MGM Hospitality, which was formed to operate casinos and non-gaming hotels, resorts and residences in key destinations around the world under the brands Bellagio, MGM Grand and Skylofts. For ten years, he was also COO of the MGM Grand Las Vegas. Mr. Aziz joined MGM Resorts International in 1998 as senior vice president at Bellagio and played an integral role in the resort's opening and early success. In 2001, he was promoted to president and chief operating officer of MGM Grand, where he has overseen a multi-year evolution in the resort's offerings that has led the property to debut more than 36 major new venues since 2001. Leading MGM Hospitality, Mr. Aziz has expanded the Company's luxury hotel brands abroad and has announced projects in the development pipeline around the world including in Asia and the Middle East.

Robert Stephens is chief technology officer of Best Buy and founder (chief inspector) of the Geek Squad. Mr. Stephens pursued a degree in computer science at the University of Minnesota, while attending the University, he landed a job fixing computers for the Human Factors Research Laboratory. Over a three year period, he rose to become head engineer of the lab while earning scholarships from the U.S. Navy and the FAA building flight and driving simulators. It was also during this time he started a computer consulting business. In April 1994, Mr. Stephens formed The Geek Squad with $200. In 2002, The Geek Squad was acquired by Best Buy and opened Geek Squad precincts in all Best Buy US and Canadian stores. With some 20,000 agents, The Geek Squad is now North America's largest technology support company offering phone, in-store, and in-home support. Mr. Stephens has become a well-known voice on the interaction between technology, people, and great service.

The GBTA Convention, with more than 6,000 attendees, is the largest, most comprehensive annual gathering of business travel and meetings managers, meeting planners, procurement professionals and suppliers anywhere in the world. The Business Travel Event of the Year^SM features: more than 70 industry-leading education sessions organized into 20+ specialized tracks geared to specific levels of experience and a variety of disciplines; an 400+ company Exposition showcasing market choices not available at other industry gatherings; sessions featuring world-renowned speakers and industry leaders; a wide selection of professional development opportunities; and much more. For more information on the GBTA Convention, visit gbta.org/convention.