8 November 2019:Alaska Air Group has named Ben Minicucci as President of Alaska, Gary Beck as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Alaska and Joe Sprague as President of Horizon.
"Together, these talented executives bring more than four decades of expertise working across a wide variety of divisions at Air Group," said Brad Tilden, chairman and CEO of Alaska Air Group. "We've doubled in size in just the past five years. Their experience and leadership abilities will be crucial as we continue to grow and navigate new opportunities and challenges."
In this new role, Minicucci will look after both operations and commercial functions, and will execute on the company's strategic plan including a focus on Alaska's network, flight schedule, sales, revenue management, safety and operations, marketing and real estate.
"These new responsibilities are a natural step forward for Ben," said Tilden. "He is driven to succeed, and committed to getting it right - whether it's maintaining a strong safety record, improving our operational performance, or making sure our guests have a great experience."
As Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Beck will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations on the ground and in the air. He will report directly to Minicucci.
"We're fortunate to welcome Gary back to Alaska. He's a proven, trusted leader with decades of airline experience who will be dedicated solely to our operational safety and success as we grow Alaska," said Minicucci. "Gary's commitment to safety and to people - along with his energy - will be an asset as we continue to build on our foundation of operational rigor."
Joe Sprague has been selected as the new president of Horizon. He will report directly to Tilden.
"Joe has a passion for Air Group and for the airline industry," said Tilden. "He has a great respect for all the accomplishments being made by Horizon and its employees, and a well-grounded appreciation of the importance of Horizon's partnership with Alaska to provide outstanding service to all of our guests."