Richard Eastman, President and CEO of The Eastman Group, Inc.
Richard Eastman and The Eastman Group (TEG) have been involved in marketing consulting and innovative software development for a wide variety of clients involved in travel product distribution related activities since its inception in 1979. TEG was incorporated in 1984 and developed the first travel industry relational database corporate reporting system for Associated Travel in 1985. In 1987, Richard Eastman conceived and created AQUA 1 (Automated Quality User Assurance), the travel industry forerunner of what has become "third party software".
In 1989, he became President and founder of a company owned jointly by TEG and Associated Travel Services called AQUA Software Products, Inc. (ASPI). ASPI subsequently licensed the AQUA software to major, national and regional travel agencies throughout the United States and leading agencies in Europe. TEG also designed and evolved one of the first corporate automated e-mail and fax booking solutions for travel agencies in 1990, a product subsequently licensed to SABRE Travel Information Network.
Richard terminated his ASPI relationship in 1993 and began building AutoLink.
Prior to focusing solely on software for the travel industry, Richard Eastman was Chief Marketing Officer for AirLanka, Ltd., the national carrier of Sri Lanka. Before beginning work with AirLanka in 1979, he headed his own marketing and business services consulting companies.
Mr. Eastman is a requested author and speaker on travel distribution topics. He obtained his BS from California Polytechnic University in 1962 and his MBA from Pepperdine University in 1979.
Richard Eastman is recognized as a technical visionary and author. He is frequently quoted in the travel industry trades with respect to travel automation, distribution, and forecasting industry trends.