Maxvantage To Provide Free Strategic Meetings Management Assessment

Offering Provides Opportunity for Companies to Evaluate the Impact of Their Meetings Programs or Receive Advice on Best Practices for Creating a Meetings Program

NEW YORK -- Maxvantage, a strategic alliance between American Express Business Travel and Maritz Travel, today announced a limited time offer of free assessment services for North American companies interested in evaluating the impact of their meetings program. For companies which may not have a strategic program in place, it offers one-on-one advice and best practices for creating a managed meetings program.

Maxvantage was created to give companies direct access to the capabilities and best practices of strategic meetings management, including centralized sourcing, meeting planning and data analysis and business insight. Its services offer companies an opportunity to have an enhanced level of transparency, control and insight across the entire category of meetings, events and incentive travel.

The Complimentary Meetings Program Assessment being offered by Maxvantage provides a unique opportunity for companies to stress test their meetings programs and determine whether or not they are effectively integrating strategic meetings management practices. Consultants will evaluate opportunities based upon key indicators, including strategic sourcing processes, risk and control measures and technology capabilities. The evaluation will reveal steps companies can take to customize their meeting processes and procedures, negotiate cost-saving supplier agreements, conditions and contractual terms, and improve the overall quality of meetings for attendees.

Maxvantage’s offering will launch at the upcoming NBTA conference being held in San Diego, California from August 23-26. Further information will be available at the American Express Business Travel booth #2721.

To initiate the assessment, companies should visit the online business travel community, www.businesstravelconneXion.com and click on “Maxvantage Complimentary Meetings Program Assessment.”

About Maxvantage
Maxvantage was established as a strategic alliance in July 2009 between American Express Business Travel and Maritz Travel. The alliance provides companies with end-to-end strategic meetings management services including expense management and strategic sourcing with a focus on exceptional participant experiences. Maxvantage benefits meetings stakeholders by delivering optimized sourcing, greater transparency and consultative services to deliver value across a company’s entire meetings program.

About American Express Business Travel
American Express Business Travel (www.americanexpress.com/businesstravel), a division of American Express Company, is committed to helping its clients maximize the greatest return on their travel investment through increased cost savings, world-class customer service and greater spending control. Ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations, American Express Business Travel provides a combination of industry-leading technology, travel management consulting, strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation support, alongside global customer service available online and offline. The Company also provides a dynamic online community (www.BusinessTravelConneXion.com) harnessing the collective intelligence of those in the business travel industry offering a variety of perspectives, best practices, current research and industry news.

American Express operates one of the world’s largest travel agency networks with locations in over 140 countries worldwide. Total travel sales volume in 2008 was $29.1 billion, including proprietary volume, volume processed through joint ventures, and American Express branded volume processed through its partner network.

American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.

About Maritz Travel
Maritz Travel, a division of Maritz, is the world leader in creating effective meeting, event and incentive travel programs. Maritz Travel provides solutions tailored to the needs of its clients, including strategic meetings management, incentive travel, meetings effectiveness, corporate meeting management and coordination and event management.

St. Louis-based Maritz is a sales and marketing services company, which helps companies achieve their full potential through understanding, enabling, and motivating employees, channel partners and customers. Maritz provides market and customer research, communications, learning solutions, incentive initiatives, rewards and recognition, effective meeting, event and incentive management services and customer loyalty programs.

For more information, visit www.maritz.com or contact us at 1-877-4MARITZ.