By Julie Johnsson| Marsha Williams, 59, plans to retire by years’ end as chief financial
officer at Orbitz Worldwide Inc., the global online travel company
announced Tuesday.
Williams joined Orbitz in 2007 as it prepared to go public, spinning out
from parent company Travelport. As Orbitz restructured amid a rocky
travel market over the past 18 months, she led efforts to trim $45
million in operating and capital costs and to attract new capital to
shore up its capital structure, said Barney Harford, president and CEO
of Orbitz Worldwide.
Williams held key financial positions at many iconic Chicago companies
over a 37-year-career that began with First National Bank of Chicago,
where she worked from 1973 to 1988. She served as treasurer of Amoco
Corp., which she left in 1998; chief administrative officer at Crate and
Barrel until 2002, and executive vice-president and chief financial
officer at Equity Office Properties Trust.
“My decision to retire was a difficult one, but I am looking forward to being able to devote more time to the boards on which I serve,” said Williams in a statement. Orbitz recently adopted a policy limiting the number of public company boards on which its employees may serve.
