On the heels of Southwest Airlines celebrating our 50th Anniversary, and after 35 years of LUV with my Southwest Family,the time feels right for Southwest to start its next chapter.I have made thedecision to relinquishthe title of CEO in early 2022.Having celebrated 50 amazing yearson June 18,we talked about flipping thepage to begin work on the next chapter for Southwest. With that in mind,I’m delighted toannounceExecutive Vice President Corporate ServicesBob Jordan asournextCEO,beginning on Feb. 1, 2022.
Rest assured, I’m not going anywhere, though. I will remain with Southwest through the transition and serve as Executive Chairman, at least through 2026 and at the discretion of the Board. As Executive Chairman, I will focus on business and fleet strategies, Governmental and Airport Affairs, and leading the Board of Directors for Southwest. Also, I will continue to serve as Chairman for Airlines for America.
Succession planning is one of the most important jobs of a CEO, and it’s something I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about and working on with our Board of Directors. I’ve said this before, but it truly feels as if we are at the dawn of a newera as a Company. There is no doubt in my mind that this the right time to announce this transition, and Bob is the right Leader to be Southwest’s next CEO.
This will be a transition over many months. And, as I mentioned, once Bob assumes the role in February, I will continue to stay closelyconnected tothe cause that isSouthwestAirlines.I havehad many blessings in my life; I’m most grateful for my family, and for my SouthwestFamily.I alwayshave feltatremendoussense ofgratitude to those who came before me. Looking ahead, I am confident in the next generation of Southwest Leaderstocontinueagreat legacy, and I look forward to being along for the ride in my next role.
Gary Kelly (left) and Bob Jordan (right)
So, What About Bob?
He’s a 33-year Southwest veteran, currently serving asourExecutive Vice President Corporate Services.Bob and I have worked side-by-side for more than 30 years. He’sa great Leader, is passionate about Southwest and our People, andiswell-prepared to take on this important role.Bob and I will work closely withourPresident Tom Nealon andourChief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ventobegindevelopingtransition plans in the coming months.We havea powerfulTeam to lead us forwardintothe next 50 years.
For those who have not met Bob,I am eager for you to get to know him. Bob has a heart of goldwho loves and cherishes our beloved Companyand our Peopleas much as anyone I know.
Inournews release,Bobshared,“I’m humbled, honored, and excited to be asked to serve as the next CEO.The Heart of Southwest is our People; they make the difference for our Customers, and I look forward to serving them. We have a terrific Team of Leaders, many of whom I have had the joy of working alongside for decades. I’m looking forward to working with Gary, Mike,and Tom on the transition effort and setting up Southwest for the next 50 years of giving Customers the Freedom toFly.”
Southwest Airlines’ Leadership (left to right): Bob Jordan, Mike Van de Ven, Gary Kelly, and Tom Nealon
To learn more about Bob, please enjoy the below Q&A that he shared with our Employees last week.
Q: What does it feel like to be named the future CEO of Southwest Airlines?
A:“I feelso many emotions–excited, grateful, humbled,and ready. When I started at Southwest in 1988 as a programmer, I could never have dreamed this could be possible, but at Southwest Airlines, all things are possible. I’m grateful for Gary and the fact that he is staying as Executive Chairman, grateful to the Board for their confidence in me and allowing for the time to transition well and intentionally, and grateful to the wonderful People of Southwest Airlines. This is a big job, and the greatestCompanyand People in the world, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly. I have a lot to learn–I’m human, andwill make mistakes, butI can promise thatyou will get my absolute best.”
Q: When does the new role go into effect?
A:“The role becomesofficial inFebruary of next year, but I will go to work with Gary and our Leaders quickly to ensure we have a great transition plan and are ready when that time comes. I’m extremely thankful for the group of Leaders we have here at Southwest. I have been blessed to work with most of them for more than a decade, and several for more than 30 years. It’s the most talented, dedicated,Team of Leaders we have ever hadand we are ready to leadSouthwestinto the next 50 years.”
Q: What is your vision of the future for Southwest Airlines?
A: “I have been blessed to have a very diverse career and set of assignments during my 33 years at Southwest. Gary especially has given me so many opportunities to work in different areas of theCompany, as well as the broad leadership role asPresident of AirTran during the integration, and Gary, Colleen, Herb, Tom, and many, many others mentored and sponsored me along the way. Because of that, I have been part of our strategic planning for a long time, and know that we have a great plan. We have a great plan to continue to emerge from the pandemic, continue to take advantage of opportunities as they arise, and restore our financial health. Right now, it’s all about continuing to be nimble, executing, and for me especially, using the next few months to ensure the transition goes really, really well.”
Q: What are some of the things you hope to do right away?
A: “Change, even the anticipation of change, creates both excitement and uncertainty. Those can be distractions, and as we continue to emerge from the pandemic, we need to continue to be laser-focused. I plan to spend considerable time out with our Employees,so that we can get to know each other better,as well as spend time with our Leaders, right away. In addition to traveling, the tools we learned and used in the last year also afford us an opportunity to reach so many People quickly, and communicate frequently and informally.”
Q: What do you expect will be some of your greatest challenges?
A: “There are always challenges, there have been during my entire 33-year career at Southwest–intense competition, newairlines, cost pressures, 9/11, gulf wars, high fuel prices, and most vividly, the pandemic. The People of Southwest Airlines, and the Warrior Spirit, never back away from a challenge–as Mike Van de Ven always says, “winnerswin!” If we can stay focused on the basics, like living our Southwest Way values each and every day, serving each other and our Customers every single day, realizing that change is constant and just a part of life, and always seeing ourselves as the scrappy startup, there is no challenge we can’t overcome, and nothing we can’t do together. It’s going to be a GREAT start to the next 50 years!”
