Name: Dave Briggs
Title: Bank at work, co-brand and affinity banking client management executive
Company, city: Bank of America; Nashville, Tenn.
Number of employees: 125 in co-brand
Recent project: Recognizing each transaction is important to each customer and represents an opportunity to build more personal and human connections, we focus on providing customers a clear, consistent, simple payments experience and give them control over how they buy, pay, manage and save.
First job: As a sixth grader in 1979, I served coffee to people waiting in line for gas during the gas embargo.
Little-known fact about you: I’ve never had a cup of coffee.

Your Business

Essential business philosophy: Keep it simple and communicate four key priorities: Deliver high-quality service, every time; give customers and clients more reasons to do business with us; value our people and equip them to deliver; and last but not least, find ways to simplify business and reduce costs.

Best way to keep a competitive edge: Spend time with clients. Ask questions, stay informed about their businesses and understand competitive dynamics can change in milliseconds.

Yardstick of success: Have the right metrics; measure, listen and put customer satisfaction at the forefront.

Dave Briggs as a Traveler

What is the most important item you take when traveling? I travel 120 days a year, so it’s critical to have enough battery power (or outlet availability) to keep my laptop and iPad functional.

How do you spend your time on board? I catch up on book reading and email, so I am aware of who offers WiFi on board.

What is your favorite restaurant in the world? One of our clients is Bass Pro Shops; when I’m where they have a store, I visit their sales teams and go to the in-store restaurant.

What is your favorite destination in the world? Steamboat Springs, Colo., for winter skiing and summer cycling.

About Bank of America

What does the Bank of America co-branded card offer frequent travelers? Bank of America has nearly 20 co-branded relationships, each with unique rewards and robust distribution channels, including organizations like Major League Baseball, Bass Pro Shops, NASCAR and Amway Global. We have moved to focus on fewer partners: Our remaining partnerships offer differentiated value propositions, lead to more valuable customer relationships and have the ability to deliver scale. We work with our partners to deliver a top-flight credit card/loyalty program to their members, providing the full suite of consumer banking and investment products to a customer base that wants to simplify their banking relationships.

Which airlines, hotels and cruise lines are co-branded partners? We have nine travel-related co-brand programs, serving more than 1.8 million cardholders who spent more than $20 billion on their cards through the first nine months of 2012. In addition to Alaska Airlines, travel partners include Royal Caribbean, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Spirit Airlines and Norwegian Cruise Line.

What sets the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card apart from other frequent-flyer cards? Our 25-year partnership generated 1 million-plus cardholders among our Signature, Platinum and Preferred cards, including tri-branded partnerships with the University of Washington and Washington State University. Alaska’s quality of service and the value of the loyalty program sell the card right out of the gate. Visa Signature cardholders receive bonus miles upon approval, with no spend requirement; a $110 coach companion fare certificate; and three miles for every dollar spent with Alaska Airlines and one mile for every dollar spent on other purchases.