Javier Barrera

Javier Barrera oversees the company strategy and operations for AltiusPAR. An award-winning economist, Barrera comes to AltiusPAR after serving as executive vice president and chief marketing and technology officer of Grupo Posadas, a leading global hotel chain based in Latin America.

During his 12-year tenure at Grupo Posadas, Barrera oversaw a number of strategic business initiatives, including the management and launch of Fiesta Americana Vacation Club, a new business division that marked the company’s entrance into the timeshare market. Barrera also oversaw strategic planning and marketing for more than eight years, including product and franchise services development and communication services between all hotels and subsidiaries.

Barrera also brings in-depth development and strategic planning experience to AltiusPAR, which makes him an invaluable asset to the company. An economist by training, Barrera holds an undergraduate degree from the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM) and an MBA from Tulane University. In 1986, he was granted the National Award on Economics, the highest recognition in the field of economics in Mexico.

Leopoldo Toro

Along with CEO Javier Barrera, Leopoldo Toro oversees operations and sets the overall direction for AltiusPAR. He is also responsible for all operating functions of AltiusPAR and reports directly to Barrera. Prior to helping to start AltiusPAR, Toro was the Chief Information Officer for Grupo Posadas. He was responsible for the overall technology strategy, including platforms, systems development and technology partnership development.

While at Grupo Posadas, Toro was responsible for formulating and implementing the Posadas “real-time enterprise model,” which includes electronic distribution, contact centers, sales force automation, CRM and ERP implementation and operation. Under his direction Posadas initiated and concluded a Shared Services and ERP implementation project, which provides the back-office services to more than 80 Posadas’ hotels throughout Latin America and the U.S. He also helped to develop a central inventory and distribution technology platform, which is currently under international patent consideration.

In addition, Toro was the strategy and innovation director reporting to Posadas’ CEO. There, he helped define Posadas’ vision, business model and organization. He also was responsible for a major company reorganization effort centered on change management and technology as the main enablers of the company’s success.

Prior to Grupo Posadas, Toro held several senior management positions at Rohm and Haas Co., including the areas of logistics, sales, marketing and finance. He also worked at Arthur D. Little as a senior consultant in the strategy and technology management practices. Toro worked as a consultant for large energy and chemical industry companies specializing in technology strategy, evaluation, implementation, knowledge management and technology asset valuations. He also worked in engagements for European telecom companies in launching their data and Internet services. Toro has an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and holds an MBA from the Universidad Ramon Llull in Barcelona, Spain.

Connie Rheams

A hospitality industry veteran, Connie Rheams is responsible for a range of strategic corporate initiatives at AltiusPAR, including partner relations and global business development and marketing.

Rheams comes to AltiusPAR from Cendant Corporation, where she was most recently vice president of Cendant’s Travel Distribution Hospitality and Leisure Group. At Cendant, her responsibilities included business development, management of all sales initiatives in the Americas, and implementation of other Cendant company and partner programs. Prior to Cendant, she was president of TRUST Inc., which was acquired by Cendant in 2002.

Prior to TRUST, Rheams spent 14 years at AMR Corporation, where she held various management positions at American Airlines, TeleService Resources, and SABRE. While at AMR, Rheams served on the Latin American Task Force at American Airlines, led the hospitality division at TeleService Resources, and served as the head of product marketing for SABRE Internet Travel Solutions.

Victor Vargas

Victor Vargas is responsible to provide technology vision, strategy and leadership for researching, developing, and implementing state-of-the-art products and technologies to addresses current and future customer needs. Prior to joining AltiusPAR, Vargas was the chief solution architect and project manager for Grupo Posadas' patent-pending Central Inventory Systems (CIS) and Distribution Technology Platform, the core technologies behind the AltiusPAR's revenue and inventory management technology.

During his eight years at Grupo Posadas, Vargas led strategic IT projects, played an active role in defining, managing and architecting the solutions, he also led the process improvement programs to define, promote, and implement the standards, methodologies and best practices behind all software initiatives.

Prior to Grupo Posadas, Vargas worked for seven years at Grupo Financiero Serfin (currently Santander-Serfin), Mexico's third largest banking institution, holding regional and nationwide consumer credit managerial positions.

Vargas graduated with honors from the Universidad ISEC, where he received an undergraduate degree in computer science engineering and holds an MBA from the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM).

Steven Block

Steven Block is responsible for AltiusPAR Electronic Channel’s department management and new client implementations. Steven has over 18 years Hospitality Experience and has worked with the GDS/Electronic Distribution departments of Hilton, Red Roof, Wyndham, Accor and La Quinta.

After starting his career in the Hospitality Industry with Hilton Hotels in 1988, Steve left Hilton to serve as Sr Programmer Analyst at Litton Computer Services. His primary duty was to serve as the Litton/Hilton customer liaison whose duties included documenting and coding enhancements for Hilton’s reservation system GDS functionality and rate automation projects.

While at Accor, Steve served as the IT Director of E-Commerce and was responsible for the smooth integration and relocation of the Red Roof GDS department with Accor Economy Lodging’s Motel 6 Electronic Reservation’s department.

Most recently he has consulted with Red Roof, Wyndham and La Quinta companies. His consulting specialties include GDS department automation, reporting, increasing market share, Lanyon Integration and GDS functionality enhancements including system connectivity with some of the larger Internet Reservation and Affiliate portal companies.

Steve holds a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Salomon Than

Salomon Than is responsible for AltiusPAR's revenue management and distribution consulting and implementation. He has been a revenue management specialist, manager and consultant for more than seven years and was a key contributor to the implementation of revenue management processes at Grupo Posadas.

Prior to joining Grupo Posadas and eventually AltiusPAR, Salomon began his career with American Express, where he was project manager for operations and helped to lead multifunctional teams in auality, reengineering and improvement and optimization projects.

Salomon holds a ME in operations research and industrial engineering from Cornell University, with a degree in systems engineering option. He also holds BS in industrial and systems engineering, and a diploma in marketing from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico, at which he also teaches as a professor for the undergraduate programs.