Alaska Air Group Announces Changes to Strengthen Senior Leadership
08 Dicembre 2008 - 9:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Brad Tilden elected Alaska Airlines' president; Glenn Johnson
becomes Alaska Air Group CFO; Ben Minicucci assumes new COO role at
Alaska SEATTLE, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Alaska Air
Group board of directors and Bill Ayer, chairman and chief
executive officer, today announced a realignment to strengthen the
company's senior leadership. As part of the changes, Brad Tilden
has been elected president of Alaska Airlines, reporting to Ayer.
Previously Alaska Air Group's chief financial officer and executive
vice president of finance and planning, Tilden will oversee the
airline's operating divisions and marketing, in addition to
retaining responsibility for network planning and revenue
management. "Brad's engaging leadership style and strong values,
coupled with his financial judgment and commitment to ongoing
process improvement, make him the right person to take on expanded
responsibility for our operations, marketing, planning and customer
experience as we continue to improve our long-term
competitiveness," Ayer said. Tilden joined Alaska Airlines as
controller in 1991 and was promoted to chief financial officer in
2000. Prior to joining Alaska, he spent eight years with the
accounting firm of Price Waterhouse at its offices in Seattle and
Melbourne, Australia. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in
business administration and is a private pilot. Replacing Tilden as
chief financial officer and executive vice president of finance for
Alaska Air Group and Alaska Airlines is Glenn Johnson, formerly
Alaska Airlines' executive vice president of customer service --
airports and maintenance and engineering. In addition to leading
the company's finance organization, he will oversee information
technology, strategic planning and corporate real estate. Johnson
has had a long career at Alaska Airlines and sister carrier Horizon
Air in a variety of finance and customer service roles, including
vice president of finance and treasurer at both carriers. "Glenn's
extensive background in finance, as well as his operational and
customer service expertise, makes him uniquely qualified to lead
our finance, real estate, IT and strategic planning efforts at this
critical time," Ayer said. The company also announced the election
of Ben Minicucci as Alaska Airlines' chief operating officer and
executive vice president of operations. Previously vice president
of Seattle operations, Minicucci will report to Tilden in this new
position, and will lead flight operations and maintenance and
engineering, in addition to airport customer service. "In the year
since Ben assumed leadership of our Seattle operation, he has
re-engineered a host of operational functions, resulting in
dramatic improvements to our on-time performance and baggage
handling. Through this promotion, he will be more directly
positioned to drive similar improvements throughout our network,"
Ayer said. Minicucci was Alaska Airlines' staff vice president of
maintenance and engineering before overseeing the airline's Seattle
operations. He came to Alaska from Air Canada and a 14-year career
in the Canadian Armed Forces, where he was responsible for aircraft
maintenance. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical
engineering. Stepping into a vice president role leading Alaska Air
Group's planning and revenue management, reporting to Tilden, will
be Andrew Harrison. Formerly managing director of planning,
Harrison joined Alaska Airlines after a 16-year career in public
accounting. As part of the leadership changes, Gregg Saretsky,
formerly Alaska Airlines' executive vice president of flight and
marketing, will leave the company. "Gregg is a highly respected
leader who guided our transcontinental expansion and built a strong
marketing organization that has helped us fend off relentless
competition," Ayer said. "We appreciate his many contributions
during his 10 years at Alaska." Alaska Airlines and sister carrier
Horizon Air together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive
network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska
Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Traditional
Network Carriers (tie)" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 North
America Airline Satisfaction Study(SM). For reservations, visit
alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska
Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.
DATASOURCE: Alaska Air Group CONTACT: Caroline Boren or Marianne
Lindsey, both of Alaska Air Group, +1-206-392-5101 Web site:
http://www.alaskaair.com/
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