David J. Wardell has worked in travel industry for many years in operations, management, training, travel management and systems design, and in other phases of the computer, transportation, and retailing businesses as a consultant, executive planner, and administrator.  Previous to entering the industry he worked in computer system design and analysis and operated his own service bureau and software development company. Mr. Wardell owned and managed several other successful businesses outside the travel industry in retail sales and services, computers and automation, electronics, and publishing.

Mr. Wardell enjoys a wide reputation within the travel and computer industries as one of the country's foremost experts on applied systems development, product planning and management, strategic planning and development, and marketing. He has created and managed marketing, systems, and general strategic planning for many of America's largest and most successful corporations--both travel and non-travel related. His work is reflected in the successful programs of numerous multi-million dollar corporations.  Mr. Wardell is among the country's foremost experts in travel MIS, applied computer technology, systems strategy, computer-based analysis, and practical software development. He has conducted extensive theoretical and practical research into many areas of software design, particularly interactive business applications, machine (artificial) intelligence, logic-based programming, and expert system applications.

He has authored over 450 articles for technical, trade, consumer, and general interest publications, including such prestigious periodicals as The Economist, on numerous technical and non-technical subjects. He is a frequent featured speaker at travel industry trade meetings. His column on automation and computers in the travel industry has appeared in Travel Weekly, the industry's largest trade journal, since January, 1985 Mr. Wardell has been listed in various Marquis Who's Who publications since 1987, including Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. He is a member of various engineering, technology, and travel trade groups.

Mr. Wardell has worked with or for most of the largest travel agencies in the world over the last 18 years. These included American Express, Rosenbluth, Carlson, Carlson Leisure, IVI, BTI Americas, Hogg Robinson, Kuoni, and a host of larger regional and local companies throughout North America and Europe. He personally wrote the business plan used by the Republic of Ireland for their centralized hospitality and reservations management venture.

He has provided travel marketing strategy and support, or other advice and consulting services in the technology or operational arenas to most of the major vendors involved in the travel industry, including United Airlines, Continental, British Airways, Eastern, PSA, Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton, Galileo, Sabre, Worldspan, and many others.

Among his more recent positions, beginning in 1987 Mr. Wardell was Vice President and Managing Director of Vendor Services, responsible for product and system prototyping, development, strategic planning, vendor relations, and general business development for Citicorp Information Management Services, Inc. (also known as Citicorp CIMS, a subsidiary of Citicorp).

Mr. Wardell became Vice President--Information Services and Chief Information Officer for USTravel in 1991.  USTravel was the nation's third largest travel distribution company, in Rockville, Maryland. He was responsible for the company's full range of technology products, systems development, automation planning, computer operation, data communications, data processing, reporting, and several aspects of travel reservation operations.  A member of the executive committee, he participated in business planning and all phases of company operations

In 1995 he became Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of OAG Travel Services, a unit of Reed Elsevier, a major international publishing company. Among his many responsibilities were day-to-day management, technology development and strategy for RTG’s Internet and electronic commerce activities, and other business development support. He is a recognized expert in Internet-based electronic commerce and is familiar with all the supporting technologies and business practices used in this area.

Mr. Wardell activated his consulting practice in 1996 and continues to use his extensive expertise to undertake independent consulting projects in the strategy, technology, travel operations, marketing, and business development areas through his company, “Technical Reality.”

As part of a consulting engagement, Mr. Wardell became President of USMatrix, the U.S. subsidiary of Global Travel Computer Services, based in Toronto, Canada. Global is the world's largest non-CRS travel MIS and point-of-sale systems, outsourcing, and networking company, supporting over 3,000 branches through its on-line travel systems technology.

In 1999, as part of a long-term consulting engagement, Mr. Wardell assumed management and operations responsibilities for SatoTravel, the Arlington, Virginia-based global travel management company focusing upon military and civilian government travel.  He organized and operated the company’s e-commerce activities, including its highly successful ticket fulfillment and customer support operation.  Mr. Wardell also provided key support in many other areas, including general business strategy, commercial operations, and business development.

Beginning in 2001, Mr. Wardell accepted consulting engagements focusing upon the security arena.  His direct involvement centers in identity verification, background screening, worker identity vehicles, smart card development and deployment, and security system infrastructure development.

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