Alaska Air Group’s Board of Directors has named Lead Independent Director Patricia Bedient as the company’s new non-Executive Chairman of the Board Effective May 5, 2022. Ms. Bedient will replace retiring Executive Chair Brad Tilden, who also served as Alaska's CEO.
On Friday (February 11, 2022), Alaska Air Group (AAG) announced that Lead Independent Director Patricia Bedient will replace Brad Tilden as the company’s Board Chairman effective May 5, 2022. She will serve as Independent Non-Executive Chair, whereas Brad Tilden served as Executive Chair. This is part of the airline’s succession plan, as Mr. Tilden retired as CEO in March 2021, and was succeeded by Ben Minicucci. Patricia Bedient has been a member of AAG’s Board since 2004 and has served as Lead Independent Director since 2016. She is also on the Board’s Audit and Governance, Nominating, and Corporate Responsibility Committees.
In Friday’s announcment, Alaska Airlines’ current Chairman, Brad Tilden, said,
“The transition to Ben as CEO has been seamless, the leadership team is operating as one and the company is coming out of the pandemic in a position of strength. From having the most caring employees in the business, to consistently delivering industry-leading guest satisfaction scores, to being among the most financially solid of the nation's airlines, the company has the foundation it needs for profitable growth. The time is right for me to take the next step and retire from the board, leaving it in Patty's extremely capable hands.”
Also commenting on her upcoming role as Alaska Air Group’s Board Chair, Patricia Bedient, said,
“I am honored and humbled by this opportunity to continue my work on the board as chair and I am profoundly grateful for Brad's leadership and service over the past 30 years. I look forward to working with Ben and the experienced and diverse leadership team we have on the board to lead this great airline into the next era.”
Patricia Bedient previously served as CFO and Executive Vice President of the Weyerhaeuser Company from 2007 through 2016. She also served in several other senior leadership roles at Weyerhaeuser including SVP of Finance and Strategic Planning and Vice President. Prior to joining Weyerhaeuser, Bedient spent 27 years with Arthur Andersen LLP as their Managing Partner in the Seattle office. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting and finance from Oregon State University.
In connection with Bedient’s election as Independent Board Chair, the company has also appointed Kathleen Hogan as Chair of the Board’s Governance, Nominating and Corporate Responsibility Committee. Ms. Hogan is the Chief People Officer and EVP of Human Resources for Microsoft.
Alaska Airlines and their regional partners serve over 120 destinations in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Belize. The sustainability-focused carrier emphasizes Next-Level Care for guests, while offering low fares and award-winning service. Alaska has hubs in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Anchorage. The carrier is a member of the oneworld global alliance, and along with their additional partners, Alaska Airlines’ guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 1,000 global destinations on over 20 airlines. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of the Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE: ALK).
Source: Alaska Airlines