Delta Air Lines CEO Anderson elected Air Transport Association chairman

[News_Editor]

Delta Air Lines CEO Anderson elected Air Transport Association chairman

2010-12-03 08:22:24 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- The Air Transport Association of America (ATA) on Thursday announced that Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson was elected as chairman of the ATA Board of Directors.

"Richard Anderson is a strong leader and a proven chief executive, with the necessary credentials to further propel the mission of ATA as it faces the challenges and priorities in this next Congress," said ATA President and CEO James May.

ATA also informed that Southwest Airlines Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Gary Kelly, was elected as vice chairman. Both Anderson and Kelly will serve two-year terms. ATA is the industry trade organization representing the leading U.S. airlines.

"I look forward to working cooperatively with the administration, Congress and regulatory agencies to advance initiatives that support continued improvements in the financial health of the U.S. aviation industry and maintain our focus on safety," said Anderson.

The new ATA chairman added that his work will focus on moving tax and regulatory oversight in a direction that promotes growth and establish a stronger economic engine as airlines are a vital U.S. industry which provide 11 million jobs per year.

Anderson became Delta Air Lines CEO in September 2007. He was the architect of Delta’s merger with Northwest Airlines, which closed in October 2008. Before that, he was the executive vice president at UnitedHealth Group. From 2001 to 2004, he was the CEO of Northwest Airlines.

Kelly began as a controller at Southwest Airlines in 1986. He moved up to chief financial officer and vice president of finance, then executive vice president and CFO, before being promoted to CEO and vice chairman in July 2004. In 2008, he assumed the positions of chairman and president.

ATA recently named Nicholas Calio president and CEO, effective on January 1. Calio currently leads Global Government Affairs for Citigroup, both in the United States and in the more than 100 countries in which the company does business.

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