Pegasus Solutions Names Mike Kistner Chairman of the Board

Pegasus Solutions has named president and CEO, Mike Kistner, chairman of the Board of Directors.

Kistner, 51, who was named CEO of Pegasus in June 2008, assumes his additional role on the heels of a successful rollout of Pegasus’ RezView NG reservation system to more than 8,000 hotels, and two new product launches for Utell Hotels & Resorts.

“Mike has tackled the challenges of leading Pegasus over the last year with great assurance, which is why we as a Board have such confidence in him assuming this new position,” said Kevin A. Richardson II, a member of Pegasus’ Board, and founder and CEO of Prides Capital LLC. “As a leader, he has shepherded the company through a difficult economic environment while remaining dedicated to its customers and partners, especially through his unwavering focus on product innovation.”

Kistner has been a driving force at Pegasus since joining the company as senior vice president of operations and service delivery in 2005, shortly after which he was named COO. In that time, he has led the development and introduction of RezView NG, the first major redesign to the CRS in 20 years, and bolstered Utell’s market-leading services through partnerships with Milestone Internet Marketing for online marketing, and RateTiger and Rubicon for business intelligence.

“I’m honored to accept the role of Chairman, and am enthused by Prides’ support of my work with Pegasus and Utell,” added Kistner. “The Board’s commitment to our ground-breaking product developments and introductions, despite negative market indications in our sector, reflects their commitment to the long-term success of this company. Much has been made of Pegasus’ 20-year anniversary this year, but we’re eagerly looking forward to a bright future founded on the solid partnerships we’re forging and products we’re introducing today.”

Prior to joining Pegasus, Kistner served as chief information officer (CIO) and senior vice president of distribution at Best Western International, Inc. He also served as a senior vice president at Cendant Corp., executive vice president of operations for Super 8 Motels, and vice president of management information systems and reservations at HFS Inc.

Kistner holds a B.S. in accounting and information systems for Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D.; and a M.S. in information systems from Colorado State University.

He is also the past chairman and a current member of the eCommerce committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. From 2000 to 2005, he served as chairman of the Open Travel Alliance (OTA), and has been recognized as one of the leading CIOs in the hospitality industry.

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