MTS TRAVEL announces plan for leadership transition

EPHRATA, PA, --MTS TRAVEL announced today a plan for leadership transition. Kermit Yoder, President and CEO, will transfer those titles to Jim Buddendorf, currently COO, on January 1, 2005. After this date, Kermit will remain with MTS TRAVEL on a part-time basis in a senior advisory, and special assignment capacity, so that the company can continue to benefit from his wealth of experience and wisdom. He will also remain on the board of directors.

Following voluntary service assignments in Europe for the Mennonite Central Committee, Kermit Yoder joined Menno Travel Service, Inc. in 1965, in the Beirut office. In 1967 he became Managing Director of MTS operations in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) and then two years later was made General Manager of the corporate offices in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. By 1973, Kermit was again assigned overseas, serving as Managing Director of MTS' Nairobi, Kenya office until he returned to Ephrata as Corporate Director of Sales in 1980. Kermit's considerable experience managing MTS TRAVEL operations in the U.S. and abroad made his appointment as President and CEO in 1984 a natural course. Jim Buddendorf said, "Kermit has devoted his entire business career to service with MTS TRAVEL. He has been instrumental not only in growing the company from a two office operation with sales of $7 million to 10 offices with sales over $80 million, but also on focusing the organization on our company credo of service, value and integrity. I hope to build on the success and legacy created by Kermit Yoder."

Appointed Chief Operating Officer of MTS TRAVEL in January 2000, Jim Buddendorf was formerly Director of Consumer Services Development for Covington International Travel in Richmond, VA. A senior travel executive with thirty-six years in the industry, Jim brings a wealth of direct experience in a broad range of key functions -- from sales, customer relations and operations to technology and systems, product development, and total quality management. "Jim has learned much about our core customer base (i.e. the church, missions, relief and development community) in the four and a half years we have worked together," said Kermit Yoder. "This understanding of our clients, coupled with his deep travel industry experience, make Jim the right choice to lead this organization into a promising future."

Jim spent four years with the management consulting firm Leeside Partners in Lumberville, PA where he counseled travel firms in a number of critical areas. He has eighteen years of experience in a number of leadership posts with one of the country's major travel service firms, Rosenbluth Travel in Philadelphia. During his tenure, company revenues grew from $20 million to $1.5 billion annually, and the firm expanded to over 2,500 employees in 350 locations nationwide. He acquired his early experience in the travel profession literally on the ground floor, as an agent for United Airlines at Philadelphia International Airport. Jim attended LaSalle University and majored in psychology. He is married to Terry, and has six children.

MTS TRAVEL is the North American leader in church, mission, relief and development travel with offices in four US time zones including the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Kansas, Colorado and California. Started as the travel department of the Mennonite Central Committee in 1947, Menno Travel Service, Inc. was incorporated in 1955 and began trading under the name MTS TRAVEL in the early 1980's. Now with over 165 employees, the company is a member of the Virtuoso consortium, the American Society of Travel Agents, and the National Tour Association. MTS TRAVEL features reduced fare, flexible airline tickets for cause-related travelers, full service cruise and vacation package services, and custom tour planning. More information can be found at www.mtstravel.com.

CST 2013363-40