SEATTLE, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska
Airlines' board of directors has elected 28-year Alaska veteran Kurt
Kinder vice president of maintenance and engineering. In his
new role, Kinder will lead approximately 1,000 employees and
oversee all safety, compliance and operational performance of
Alaska's fleet of 147 Boeing 737s.
He will officially begin this position on Jan. 16, 2016.
"This is an essential role in maintaining our world-class
reputation for safety, compliance and performance," said
Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines'
chief operating officer and executive vice president. "Kurt has
proven himself to be a highly respected and forward-looking leader
during his nearly three decades with Alaska. His unmatched focus on safety,
operational excellence and employee engagement place Kurt in a
strong position to further improve operations and strengthen labor
relations within the department."
Previously, Kinder served as Alaska's managing director line maintenance
for more than ten years. In this role, Kinder developed and
implemented processes that resulted in increased fleet performance
and schedule flexibility. In addition, Kurt has led in labor
relations efforts, strengthening trust within his department. His
first job with Alaska came in 1988
when he began washing aircraft tails. Kinder started his career in
general aviation in Kent,
Washington, performing electrical and structural
modifications on small aircraft.
Kurt holds an MBA from the Foster School of Business at the
University of Washington and completed
the Aircraft Maintenance Program at Big Bend
Community College in 1983. Learn more at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-kinder-4a411722.
Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK),
together with its partner regional airlines, serves more than 100
cities through an expansive network in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Costa
Rica. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer
Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America
Airline Satisfaction Study for eight consecutive years from 2008 to
2015. Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan also ranked "Highest in
Customer Satisfaction with Airline Loyalty Rewards Programs" in the
J.D. Power 2014 and 2015 Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program
Satisfaction Report For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For
more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom at
www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.
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SOURCE Alaska Airlines