News

Southwest Airlines Names New President, COO

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - January 11, 2017

Southwest Airlines has shaken up its leadership with a pair of new appointments.

Southwest Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly has announced the appointment of Thomas Nealon as president and Michael Van de Ven as Chief Operating Officer. (Kelly had been serving as president since 2008.)

The changes are effective immediately.

In the role as president, Nealon will report directly to Kelly and have responsibility for the Commercial, Finance, Technology, Corporate Delivery, and Corporate Strategy departments at Southwest.

Nealon had been serving as member of the board for Fossil Group, and has previously been a member of Southwest’s Board of Directors from 2010-2015 and chief information officer at Southwest from 2002 to 2006.

Van de Ven is a 23-year veteran of the company and had most recently served in operations.

— Caribbean Journal Staff

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