Leadership Changes Announced at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air

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Aug 05, 2011, 08:00 ET

SEATTLE, Aug. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group announced several leadership changes today at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

Ann Ardizzone, whose career with Alaska Airlines spans three decades, has been elected vice president of strategic sourcing and supply chain management for Air Group. She previously served as Alaska Airlines' vice president of inflight services. Andy Schneider, senior vice president of people and customer services at Horizon Air, will assume the role of vice president of inflight services at Alaska and oversee the carrier's 2,700 flight attendants.

"Ann's leadership of our largest work group, her commitment to Alaska and our customers, and her extensive background in finance and marketing will help her bring a seasoned perspective to her new role," Alaska Airlines President Brad Tilden said. "We're also looking forward to having Andy back at Alaska, where she started her Air Group career. Andy has directed a wide variety of frontline employees at both airlines to set a standard of excellence for our customers."

Stepping into a vice president role leading labor relations at Alaska Airlines is Shane Tackett, previously managing director of financial planning and analysis.

"Shane's significant involvement in multiple and successful union negotiations as well as his collaborative approach to bargaining make him well suited to lead our labor relations efforts," Tilden said.

Yvonne Daverin, managing director of airframe, engine and component maintenance at Alaska Airlines, has been elected vice president of maintenance and engineering at Horizon, where she will oversee the carrier's fleet of 48 Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

"We're delighted to welcome someone of Yvonne's high caliber to Horizon's maintenance team," President Glenn Johnson said. "She brings a wealth of technical knowledge and industry experience to her new role, along with a leadership style that emphasizes teamwork and is perfectly suited to our culture."

Ardizzone began her career with Alaska Airlines in 1981 in the Finance Division, where she held several posts of increasing responsibility. She became managing director of marketing programs in 1998, overseeing Mileage Plan (Alaska's award-winning frequent flier program), its airport club rooms, Customer Care call center, interactive marketing and alaskaair.com website. Ardizzone moved to the Inflight Services Division in 2008.

Schneider joined Alaska Airlines' Finance Division in 1989. She later oversaw inflight services and was staff vice president of station operations and cargo services when she left Alaska to join Horizon in 2003. In her most recent role as senior vice president of people and customer services, Schneider was responsible for Horizon's largest division, consisting of more than 1,900 employees in 39 cities covering five states, plus British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.

Tackett, who has worked at Alaska for more than 10 years, started as an analyst in the airline's Corporate Real Estate Division and held several positions of increasing responsibility involving budgeting, airport lease negotiations, and ground and facilities equipment maintenance support. In 2006, Tackett became director (and later managing director) of financial planning and analysis, leading the budget process across the airline and analysis support for projects from non-aircraft capital investments to fleet decisions.

Daverin joined Alaska Airlines in 2005 as managing director of maintenance planning and material control after spending more than two decades in commercial aviation. She oversaw maintenance operations at Virgin America and previously held a range of leadership positions at United Airlines, including general manager of component and engine vendor maintenance, general manager of United's Oakland Maintenance Center, director of quality assurance, and manager of 737, 747 and 757/767 fleet engineering.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 90 cities throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies (SM). For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Air Group