Gordon Bethune

Last updated
Gordon Bethune
Born (1941-08-29) August 29, 1941 (age 83)
San Antonio, Texas
Alma mater Abilene Christian University, (B.S.)
Harvard Business School, (Adv. Mgt.)
Occupation(s)Chief Executive Officer, Continental Airlines (1994-2004)
Vice President, Boeing, (1988-1994)
Vice President, Braniff, (1978-1982)
Sr. Vice President, Piedmont Airlines, (1984-1988)

Gordon M. Bethune (born August 29, 1941) is a retired US airline executive. He was the CEO of Continental Airlines from 1994 until his retirement at the end of 2004. He was on the boards of Honeywell and Prudential Financial. Bethune was known for ensuring that he received some time as a pilot when taking delivery of a new Continental Airlines Boeing 767 from Boeing and repositioning it from Seattle to Houston.

Contents

Early life and US Navy service

Bethune was born in San Antonio, Texas to Pearl Elley and Jack Bethune, who was serving in the U.S. Army at that time. Bethune grew up in Austin, Texas and spent summers with his father, who owned an aerial crop dusting company in Hernando, Mississippi. Bethune joined the U.S. Navy in 1958 at age 17, becoming an aviation electronics technician. [1] In January 1960, he was serving in Heavy Attack Squadron 11[ citation needed ] aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. He rose to the rank of chief petty officer, chief warrant officer, and over time received his commission as a lieutenant. [2] In 1978, he retired with twin bars of a full lieutenant. His last duty station was with Patrol Squadron Nineteen (Big Red) stationed at Moffett Field, CA. Bethune holds a commercial pilot certificate with type ratings in the Douglas DC-3, Boeing 757, and Boeing 767. [3]

Early career

In 1978, a Navy friend asked whether Bethune would consider joining Braniff International Airways as a maintenance manager. He agreed and later became the vice president of maintenance. [2] Bethune later was vice president of engineering and maintenance for Western Airlines. He spent thirteen months with Western before leaving to become senior vice president of operations at Piedmont Airlines. [4] Bethune was vice president and general manager of The Boeing Company's Customer Services Division and later the Renton Division where he was responsible for the production of the B737 and B757 airplanes.

Bethune earned a bachelor's degree from Abilene Christian University in 1984. [5]

Continental Airlines

Bethune was hired as COO and president of Continental Airlines in 1994 after the airline had twice faced bankruptcy. Bethune later became the airline's CEO in November 1994 and was elected chairman of the board of directors in 1996. [2] [6]

BusinessWeek magazine named Bethune one of the Top 25 Global Managers in 1996 and 1997.[ citation needed ] Under his leadership Continental's stock price rose from $2 to over $50 per share. [7] Fortune magazine named Continental among the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for six consecutive years. [8] In his final year with the airline, Fortune ranked Continental as 2004's No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline, a title it earned again in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. [9] Bethune released his book, From Worst to First: Behind the Scenes of Continental's Remarkable Comeback, in 1999 detailing his time at that carrier. [10]

Following his career with Continental, Bethune became the non-executive chairman for the former Aloha Airlines. [11] He was on the board of directors of Prudential Financial, Honeywell, Sprint Corp, and Park Hotels and Resorts. He was a contributor to CNBC following his retirement. [12]

Awards and honors

In 1999, Bethune was the National Honorary Initiate of Delta Sigma Pi at the Grand Chapter Congress in Houston. [13] In 2003, he received the Tony Jannus Award for outstanding leadership in the Commercial Aviation industry. [14] In 2006, he was awarded the Lloyd P. Nolen Lifetime Achievement in Aviation Award by the Wings over Houston Airshow. [15]

Additionally, he was recognized as one of the Top 25 Global Managers, BusinessWeek, 1996; Laureate in Aviation Trophy, National Air and Space Museum, 1997; 25 Most Influential Executives, Business Travel News, 1998, 2000; 50 Best CEOs in America, Worth, 2001, 2002, 2003; Airline Person of the Year, Travel Agent, 2001.[ citation needed ]

The Wings Club New York City awarded him the Distinguished Achievement award in 2004. [16] The Navy League of New York presented him The Life Time Achievement Award in 2014. [17] Bethune received the 2009 Philip J. Klass Award for Lifetime Achievement from Aviation Week & Space Technology. The award stated: "...Bethune has spent a lifetime relentlessly searching for ways to make things work better ... has few rivals ... in both his achievements and his popularity with employees." [18]

Related Research Articles

United Airlines, Inc. is a major airline in the United States headquartered at 233 South Wacker Drive in the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. United operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and all six inhabited continents primarily out of its seven hubs, with Chicago–O'Hare having the largest number of daily flights and Denver carrying the most passengers in 2023. Regional service is operated by independent carriers under the brand name United Express.

Continental Airlines was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1934 until it merged with United Airlines in 2012. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan Trippe</span> American aviation entrepreneur (1899–1981)

Juan Terry Trippe was an American commercial aviation pioneer, entrepreneur and the founder of Pan American World Airways, one of the iconic airlines of the 20th century. He was involved in the introduction of the Sikorsky S-42, which opened trans-Pacific airline travel, the Boeing 307 Stratoliner which introduced cabin pressurization to airline operations, the Boeing 707 which started a new era in low cost jet transportation, and the Boeing 747 jumbo jets. Trippe's signing of the 747 contract coincided with the 50th anniversary of Boeing. He also founded InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.

Aloha Airlines was an airline in the United States that operated passenger flights from 1946 until 2008. It was headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, operating from its hub at Honolulu International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Crandall</span> American businessman (born 1935)

Robert Lloyd "Bob" Crandall is an American businessman who is the former president and chairman of American Airlines. Called an industry legend by airline industry observers, Crandall has been the subject of several books and is a member of the Hall of Honor of the Conrad Hilton college.

William A. "Pat" Patterson was the President of United Airlines from 1934 until 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herb Kelleher</span> American airline businessman (1931–2019)

Herbert David Kelleher was an American billionaire airline businessman and lawyer. He was the co-founder, later CEO, and chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines until his death in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick W. Smith</span> American business magnate, Founder of FedEx

Frederick Wallace Smith is an American business magnate and investor. He is the founder and chairman of FedEx Corporation, the world's largest transportation company. Smith stepped down as CEO in June 2023 and was succeeded by Raj Subramaniam. He is considered one of the most successful transportation entrepreneurs in the world. He had an estimated net worth of $6.3 billion as of June 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lone Star Flight Museum</span> Aviation museum in Houston, Texas

The Lone Star Flight Museum, located in Houston, Texas, is an aerospace museum that displays more than 24 historically significant aircraft, and many artifacts related to the history of flight. Located at Ellington Airport, the museum is housed on about 100,000 ft2 of property, including its own airport ramp. The museum, formerly located in Galveston, moved to Houston to avoid a repeat of the devastation suffered during Hurricane Ike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Parker</span> American businessman

William Douglas Parker is an American businessman who is the chairman of American Airlines Group, the parent company of American Airlines. Parker previously served as chief executive officer of the airline from 2001 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Smisek</span> American businessman and investor (born 1954)

Jeffery Alan Smisek is an American businessman, who is the president of GOOSE Capital and on the board of directors of Finch Therapeutics. Smisek previously worked in the airline industry as the chairman, president, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Continental Airlines and, later, of United Airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Six</span> American businessman (1907–1986)

Robert Forman Six was an American businessman who was the CEO of Continental Airlines from 1936 to 1980. Beginning his career in the early days of commercial aviation in the United States, he became the CEO of Continental Airlines, a major contemporary airline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary C. Kelly</span> American business executive (born 1955)

Gary Clayton Kelly is an American business executive. He is the former chairman and former chief executive officer of Southwest Airlines.

Pedro Heilbron is the CEO of Copa Holdings S.A., the parent company of the Panamanian carrier Copa Airlines and the Colombian carrier AeroRepública

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Jannus Award</span> American commercial aviation award since 1964

The Tony Jannus Award recognizes outstanding individual achievement in scheduled commercial aviation by airline executives, inventors and manufacturers, and government leaders. The award is conferred annually by the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society and was first bestowed in 1964 in Tampa, Florida, U.S. Its namesake, aviation pioneer Tony Jannus, piloted the inaugural flight of the St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line on January 1, 1914, the first scheduled commercial airline flight in the world using heavier-than-air aircraft. In addition to preserving the legacy of Tony Jannus, the non-profit society also offers financial assistance to college students pursuing studies in aviation and conducts an annual essay contest for high school students to encourage careers in aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Kellner</span> American businessman

Lawrence W. Kellner is a former CEO of Continental Airlines, having succeeded Gordon Bethune as CEO in December 2004. Prior to his arrival at Continental, he was the chief financial officer of American Savings Bank. Kellner retired as the airline's CEO at the end of December 2009. During his career at Continental, he previously was a vice president, chief financial officer and chief operating officer. Kellner is president of Emerald Creek Group, LLC - a Texas-based private equity firm primarily focused on real estate and is on the board of directors at ExxonMobil. He was chairman of The Boeing Company from 2019 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harding Lawrence</span> American businessman

Harding Luther Lawrence was executive vice president of Continental Airlines and then president and chairman of Braniff International Airways, a Dallas, Texas-based carrier. Lawrence's bold and dramatic accomplishments at both airlines earned him the reputation as not only a maverick of the transportation industry but as one of the last legendary titans of aviation. While at Braniff, Lawrence turned the conservative airline into a progressive and flamboyant carrier known for high fashion flight attendant uniforms, exemplary inflight service, and brightly painted planes. Lawrence' revolutionary approach included approving the "End of the Plain Plane" campaign in 1965, which called for imaginative aircraft paint schemes, interiors, and never before seen passenger service comforts. Previous airlines were commonly patterned after less than appealing military operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard H. Anderson (businessman)</span> American business executive

Richard H. Anderson is a retired American lawyer and business executive. In his early career, he served as a prosecutor and corporate attorney, before moving into executive positions. His most prominent roles were as CEO of several large companies in the transportation industry: Northwest Airlines (2001–2004), Delta Air Lines (2007–2016), and Amtrak (2017–2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Muilenburg</span> Former president, chairman and CEO of The Boeing Company

Dennis A. Muilenburg is an American engineer, business executive and a former president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Boeing, a multinational aerospace and defense company. He was CEO from 2015 to 2019, when he was fired in the aftermath of two crashes of the 737 MAX and its subsequent groundings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oscar Munoz (executive)</span> American businessman

Oscar Munoz is an American businessman, board member, and public speaker who was executive chairman of United Airlines from 2020 to 2021, after having been chief executive officer (CEO) of United Airlines from 2015 to 2020. Prior to his role at United Airlines, Munoz was on the board of parent company United Continental Holdings (UCH) and held executive positions at CSX Corporation and AT&T.

References

  1. ↑ Clark, Andrew (2002-09-21). "Interview with Gordon Bethune, chairman and chief executive, Continental Airlines". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Mechanic Who Fixed Continental Believe it or not, CEO Gordon Bethune, a former Navy mechanic, has made Continental the best airline in the U.S. - December 20, 1999". archive.fortune.com. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  3. ↑ "FAA Registry - Airmen - AirmenInquiry - Name Search".
  4. ↑ "Gordon Bethune Discusses The Airline Industry". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  5. ↑ Bethune, Gordon M. (12 March 2010). "Gordon Bethune". CNBC. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
  6. ↑ "From worst to first - Smart Business Magazine". Smart Business Magazine. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  7. ↑ "Lucky Or Smart, Gordon Bethune Has Continental Climbing". Bloomberg.com. 1996-05-27. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  8. ↑ "The 100 Best Companies To Work For - February 4, 2002". archive.fortune.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  9. ↑ "Gordon Bethune Profile, Biography, About". CNBC . Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  10. ↑ Bethune, Gordon, From Worst to First: Behind the scenes of Continental's remarkable comeback ( ISBN   978-0471356523), Wiley & Sons, 1999.
  11. ↑ "Aloha Air halting passenger service after 62 years". ABC News. 2008-04-07. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  12. ↑ Thomas, Lauren (2017-04-10). "United passenger was 'immature,' former Continental CEO Gordon Bethune says". CNBC. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  13. ↑ "Deltasig 1999 National Honorary Initiate Gordon Bethune". www.deltasigmapi.org. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  14. ↑ "archives". Tony Jannus Award. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  15. ↑ "Wings Over Houston presents lifetime achievement award". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  16. ↑ "Distinguished Achievement Awards". Wings Club. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  17. ↑ RC. "New York Council, Navy League of the United States, Inc. - Anniversary-Dinner". www.nynavyleague.org. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  18. ↑ Aviation Week & Space Technology 12 January 2009, "2009 Laureates", p. 57
Preceded by
Robert Ferguson
 CEO of Continental Airlines
1994 – 2004		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.