The United States has seen many changes in the aftermath of September 11, and many Americans are struggling to find new ways to make a difference to their communities. But two proud Alleghenians - Bruce McIndoe '79 and Marty Pfinsgraff '77 - are also making valuable contributions just by doing their jobs well.
The two members of the College's Board of Trustees serve as key members of the management team at iJET Travel Intelligence, a premier travel service that helps overseas travelers to anticipate, manage and avoid travel disruptions.
"The kind of service that we offer was previously available only to heads of state and senior officials in private companies," explains Bruce, now iJET's chief executive officer. "But after September 11, our services went from 'nice-to-have' to 'mission-critical' - not just for business travelers, but for leisure travelers as well."
Immediately following the tragedy of September 11, corporations realized the need to monitor and communicate with their traveling employees, while consumers needed the reassurance that only a high-quality Travel Intelligence® service can provide in a wildly dynamic world with heightened threats.
Under the leadership of these two Alleghenians, iJET emerged as the "guardian angel" for all. For two months following September 11, the company offered its services free of charge. "This offer was the best way for us to make a contribution to the country after the terrorist attacks," explains Marty, the company's chief operating officer.
Since that time, several major corporations and organizations - including Prudential Financial, Texas Instruments and the World Bank - have purchased iJET services. And with the use of progressive technology, consumers have increasingly found iJET's services affordable and convenient.
As the Annapolis, Md.-based company flourishes, the two college buddies say with pride that they continue to rely upon the rigorous liberal arts education they received at Allegheny. In fact, they agree that the type of broad experience that Allegheny offers is necessary to operate in the successful, high-level positions that they enjoy.
"The problems with which we deal, especially in senior-level positions of a company, are multi-disciplinary in nature, and a broad understanding of history, culture, technology and management is needed," Bruce says. "Learning how to communicate directly and succinctly, experiencing a breadth of knowledge, engaging in close interaction with faculty and other learned people - each of these bridge to new markets, like Travel Intelligence® services, and allow those in positions like ours to lead effectively."
Of course, what keeps them connected to the College is more than their gratitude for the high-quality education they received. "Investing heavily in iJET has been challenging," Marty admits. "But experiencing it with another Alleghenian has been an incredibly rewarding experience."
And where will they be in five years? Both anticipate that iJET will be more firmly established as a dominant player in its industry - continuing to keep travelers like us safe, healthy and productive on the road.
What is iJET?
Based in Annapolis, Md., this privately held company (ijet.com) uses state-of-the-art technology and regional experts to monitor travel conditions in more than 155 destinations. IJET's intelligence covers 10 categories, including security, health, transportation, weather and culture. That up-to-the-minute information - on everything from earthquakes and civil unrest to train strikes and ATM closures - is delivered to travelers and tailored to each person's itinerary and personal profile. Travelers are informed via e-mail, cell phone, PDAs or text paging and advised on how to manage or avoid the potential disruptions.
Sidebar Quotes
On the liberal arts:
"In today's world - whether in medicine, government, business or other fields - people who have a background in the liberal arts have the tools to succeed in whatever areas they explore. The liberal arts gives you strong critical thinking and writing and oral presentation skills." - Marty
"A liberal arts education gives a broader perspective, allowing students to leave with the knowledge of how to learn. The world is a constant learning experience, and a liberal arts education is a training ground to learn how to think critically and appreciate multiple viewpoints." - Bruce
On experiential learning:
"One thing about my Allegheny experience that has continued to benefit me throughout my career is what is now known as 'experiential learning.' By reading a book, you can learn a certain amount. But when you experience those things, the book comes to life." - Marty
"Hands-on experiences give graduates greater confidence in the post-college job market. That confidence is what sets Allegheny graduates apart from others." - Bruce
On giving back:
"The real future leaders and contributors to our society will be those who are educated in environments like that fostered at Allegheny - and that is where my commitment is. We need to support the College - give back so that Allegheny can continue to produce leaders who will improve our society. We need to preserve organizations like Allegheny if our culture as a whole is going to grow and be enhanced." - Bruce
"I've enjoyed some success and I hope to be able to give even more generously to the College. I believe that Allegheny has a strong mission and that it's doing a lot of good. We should have a sense of wanting to contribute to those who have assisted us along the way, and there is no place I'd rather support than Allegheny." - Marty
