The MLM Blog Network: YTB Travel Hires New Co

YTB Announces Appointment of Bob Van Patten as Co-CEO

Wood River, Ill., April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YTB International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: YTBLA) ("YTB" or the "Company"), a provider of Internet-based travel booking services for travel agencies and home-based independent representatives in the United States, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada, today announced the appointment of Robert M. Van Patten, age 63, as Co-CEO of the Company to serve in a consulting capacity. The position of Co-CEO was approved by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors at a meeting held April 6, 2009 and Mr. Van Patten accepted the appointment. Van Patten will serve alongside YTB's current CEO, Scott Tomer.

Van Patten brings over 25 years of senior management experience to this position and will focus on the administrative, accounting and corporate governance issues of the business. Van Patten had previously been President of IMC Agribusiness, an $800 million dollar division of IMC Global, a NYSE listed Company. Previously, IMC Agribusiness was a private Company from 1985 to 1991 and then went public as the Vigoro Corporation. The Company was sold to IMC Global in 1996 and renamed at that time.

Scott Tomer, Co-CEO of YTB International, Inc. commented on Van Patten's appointment, stating, "We are very happy to welcome Bob Van Patten to the YTB family. Bob's presence will allow Lloyd Tomer, our Chairman, and me to spend more of our efforts building the sales force, increasing revenue and thus improving the overall profitability of the Company. In addition, we anticipate that his significant public company experience will be very valuable to us as we embark on this new growth initiative."

Van Patten commented on his appointment, stating, "I am very excited about this opportunity, and look forward to continuing to build this amazing company. I have experienced the growing pains of a start-up company such as YTB first hand, and have also gone through the transition from a private company to a public company. I hope that my experience can help to guide YTB to the next level of success."

Mr. Van Patten currently resides in Edwardsville, Illinois and is a graduate of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.