Today’s management changes will undoubtedly have the pundits indicating the demise of the company because senior officers are leaving the company. I do not believe that to be the case and there are a number of quality people taking key positions.
Let’s review current and key changes:
Last year ALPA MEC chairman Bill Pollock lead the effort to remove Dave Siegel and Neil Cohen. In their place came Bruce Lakefield and Dave Davis. There is no question that Lakefield is an excellent CEO with impeccable integrity. Davis was a good addition, but I understand that his replacement, Ron Stanley, his highly experienced and was a key addition/upgrade to the Finance Department.
At some point in the future, Lakefield is expected to retire and individuals within and outside the company are lobbying for his position. Two internal candidates are Ben Baldanza and Bruce Ashby, and I understand a leading outside candidate is Chautauqua CEO Brian Bedford, who is considered a talented young executive.
In regard to Baldanza’s departure, I suspect he knew that he was not going to eventually be Lakefield’s replacement and he wants to run his own airline. Baldanza may have made his name available to headhunters and the best job he could find was COO and president of Spirit, a small LCC based in Florida.
Bruce Ashby is a talented senior executive who has held a number of industry financial, marketing, and corporate development positions. Ashby has a strong educational background with master’s degree in operations research and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University. Ashbywas brought to US Airways by former CEO Stephen Wolf and joined the company 1996 as vice president - financial planning and analysis. Before that, he was with Delta as vice president - marketing development. He also was employed by United Airlines in Chicago as vice president - financial planning and analysis, and as vice president and treasurer.
Ashby led United’s effort to create Shuttle by United, Delta’s efforts to create Delta Express, and US Airways’ Metrojet. His most recent US Airways position was senior vice president of corporate development and then senior vice president of alliances and express.
Much of Ashby’s previous work is complete with the Star, United, GoCaribbean, and affiliate carrier alliance integration complete. In addition, most of Ashby’s Express work is complete such as the MDA start-up, PSA transfer from Dornier turboprops to CRJ’s, the Dash-8 consolidation and the merger between Piedmont and Allegheny.
During the past year he was the company’s senior officer in charge of negotiating new labor agreements with the unions.
Ashby is a talented individual who is a leading candidate to become US Airways’ next CEO and I suspect this promotion will help the company transform itself and may be another step to eventually become CEO, which is something Baldanza may have known.
In regard to Jim Schear leaving the VP of Transformation position, when he was hired today was preordainded. Most of Schear’s work is now complete and in the hands of the executive suite. With virtually all labor deals in place, major network changes about to proceed on February 6 (Ft. Lauderdsale expansion, Philadelphia rolling hub, Washington point-to-point flying into OA hubs, increased aircraft utilization, two more banks in Charlotte), and most new vendor agreements in place, most of Schear’s work is complete. The plan of reorganization is scheduled to be submitted to the court no later than February 15, about one-month away, thus the remaining duties can be handled by Anita Beier, as the senior vice president and controller.
When the restructuring blueprint almost complete, Schear had to go elsewhere or leave the company. I believe his appointment as vice president of safety and regulatory compliance is an upgrade and his diversified background can serve the company well in a number of capacities as a senior officer.
It’s my understanding that Janet Dhillon, Stephen Morell, Keith Houk, and Steve Farrow are all considered strong executives and their expertise will serve their departments well.
Regards,
USA320Pilot
Let’s review current and key changes:
Last year ALPA MEC chairman Bill Pollock lead the effort to remove Dave Siegel and Neil Cohen. In their place came Bruce Lakefield and Dave Davis. There is no question that Lakefield is an excellent CEO with impeccable integrity. Davis was a good addition, but I understand that his replacement, Ron Stanley, his highly experienced and was a key addition/upgrade to the Finance Department.
At some point in the future, Lakefield is expected to retire and individuals within and outside the company are lobbying for his position. Two internal candidates are Ben Baldanza and Bruce Ashby, and I understand a leading outside candidate is Chautauqua CEO Brian Bedford, who is considered a talented young executive.
In regard to Baldanza’s departure, I suspect he knew that he was not going to eventually be Lakefield’s replacement and he wants to run his own airline. Baldanza may have made his name available to headhunters and the best job he could find was COO and president of Spirit, a small LCC based in Florida.
Bruce Ashby is a talented senior executive who has held a number of industry financial, marketing, and corporate development positions. Ashby has a strong educational background with master’s degree in operations research and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University. Ashbywas brought to US Airways by former CEO Stephen Wolf and joined the company 1996 as vice president - financial planning and analysis. Before that, he was with Delta as vice president - marketing development. He also was employed by United Airlines in Chicago as vice president - financial planning and analysis, and as vice president and treasurer.
Ashby led United’s effort to create Shuttle by United, Delta’s efforts to create Delta Express, and US Airways’ Metrojet. His most recent US Airways position was senior vice president of corporate development and then senior vice president of alliances and express.
Much of Ashby’s previous work is complete with the Star, United, GoCaribbean, and affiliate carrier alliance integration complete. In addition, most of Ashby’s Express work is complete such as the MDA start-up, PSA transfer from Dornier turboprops to CRJ’s, the Dash-8 consolidation and the merger between Piedmont and Allegheny.
During the past year he was the company’s senior officer in charge of negotiating new labor agreements with the unions.
Ashby is a talented individual who is a leading candidate to become US Airways’ next CEO and I suspect this promotion will help the company transform itself and may be another step to eventually become CEO, which is something Baldanza may have known.
In regard to Jim Schear leaving the VP of Transformation position, when he was hired today was preordainded. Most of Schear’s work is now complete and in the hands of the executive suite. With virtually all labor deals in place, major network changes about to proceed on February 6 (Ft. Lauderdsale expansion, Philadelphia rolling hub, Washington point-to-point flying into OA hubs, increased aircraft utilization, two more banks in Charlotte), and most new vendor agreements in place, most of Schear’s work is complete. The plan of reorganization is scheduled to be submitted to the court no later than February 15, about one-month away, thus the remaining duties can be handled by Anita Beier, as the senior vice president and controller.
When the restructuring blueprint almost complete, Schear had to go elsewhere or leave the company. I believe his appointment as vice president of safety and regulatory compliance is an upgrade and his diversified background can serve the company well in a number of capacities as a senior officer.
It’s my understanding that Janet Dhillon, Stephen Morell, Keith Houk, and Steve Farrow are all considered strong executives and their expertise will serve their departments well.
Regards,
USA320Pilot
