Southwest Airlines announced some major leadership changes as a part of continuation of the organizational structure work that began in September 2022 and has continued into 2023. In the first major move, Leah Koontz will be promoted from Senior Vice President Controller to an Executive Advisor role effective August 16.
With over three decades of experience, Koontz have been instrumental in development of Southwest's first in-house revenue accounting system, its first ticketless system, SAP implementation, several iterations of reservation system upgrades and replacements, and the integration of AirTran
She has held numerous Leadership roles within the Finance Department leading up to her current role as Senior Vice President Controller.
Koontz's transition has paved way for several other Leadership changes. Ryan Martinez has been promoted from Vice President Investor Relations to Senior Vice President Controller, overseeing Accounting and Financial Reporting, SOX, Tax, and Controller Operations.
Martinez began his Southwest career 17 years ago in the Investor Relations Department before joining the Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Department in 2013, where he led the Corporate Team responsible for overseeing consolidated financial forecasts. He assumed his current role as Vice President of Investor Relations six years ago and has become a well-respected and reliable voice for the Company with the investment community.
Julia Landrum will move from Vice President Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to Vice President Investor Relations.
Landrum joined Southwest in 2016 as a Senior Director in FP&A. Prior to that, Julia served as Vice President, Revenue for Studio Movie Grill as well as in leadership roles at Ernst & Young LLP.
Michael Cole is promoted from Managing Director Capacity Planning to Vice President Financial Planning & Analysis, effective June 1. Cole served as an analyst in Revenue Management prior to his roles in Network Planning and FP&A.
Effective March 1, Southwest's Marketing and Customer Experience & Engagement organization transitioned to five departments under Senior Vice President Marketing & Customer Experience Tony Roach. The functions under Roach's Leadership include Marketing; Customer Experience & Digital (CXD); Customer Engagement; Travel Products; and Department Planning, Operations, & Delivery.
Bill Tierney's role changed from Vice President Marketing & Digital Experience to Vice President Customer Experience & Digital (CXD), effective March 1.
The Digital Experience function will transition out of Marketing and join the Customer Experience organization. The CXD Department will be responsible for meeting the growing needs of the airline's Customers across the entire travel journey, while supporting revenue, operational, and cost-saving goals of the business.
Jonathan Clarkson's role changed from Vice President Marketing & Loyalty Products to Vice President Marketing, effective March 1.
Jennifer Bridie is promoted from Managing Director Marketing Strategy to Vice President, Marketing Communications and Strategy, reporting to Jonathan Clarkson, effective May 16.
In this role, Bridie is responsible for leading Marketing Strategy, Marketing Communications Go to Market, and Brand Teams.
Sonya Lacore, Vice President Inflight Operations, has made the decision to move to an Executive Advisor role effective June 16. Lacore's move paves the way for Steve Murtoff, who is promoted from Managing Director Inflight Safety Service & Base Ops to Vice President Inflight Operations, effective June 16.
Carrie Mills is promoted from Managing Director, Cybersecurity to Vice President of Cybersecurity, effective March 16.
announced some major leadership changes as a part of continuation of the organizational structure work that began in September 2022 and has continued into 2023. In the first major move, Leah Koontz will be promoted from Senior Vice President Controller to an Executive Advisor role effective August 16.
With over three decades of experience, Koontz have been instrumental in development of Southwest's first in-house revenue accounting system, its first ticketless system, SAP implementation, several iterations of reservation system upgrades and replacements, and the integration of AirTran
She has held numerous Leadership roles within the Finance Department leading up to her current role as Senior Vice President Controller.
Koontz's transition has paved way for several other Leadership changes. Ryan Martinez has been promoted from Vice President Investor Relations to Senior Vice President Controller, overseeing Accounting and Financial Reporting, SOX, Tax, and Controller Operations.
Martinez began his Southwest career 17 years ago in the Investor Relations Department before joining the Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Department in 2013, where he led the Corporate Team responsible for overseeing consolidated financial forecasts. He assumed his current role as Vice President of Investor Relations six years ago and has become a well-respected and reliable voice for the Company with the investment community.
Julia Landrum will move from Vice President Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to Vice President Investor Relations.
Landrum joined Southwest in 2016 as a Senior Director in FP&A. Prior to that, Julia served as Vice President, Revenue for Studio Movie Grill as well as in leadership roles at Ernst & Young LLP.
Michael Cole is promoted from Managing Director Capacity Planning to Vice President Financial Planning & Analysis, effective June 1. Cole served as an analyst in Revenue Management prior to his roles in Network Planning and FP&A.
Effective March 1, Southwest's Marketing and Customer Experience & Engagement organization transitioned to five departments under Senior Vice President Marketing & Customer Experience Tony Roach. The functions under Roach's Leadership include Marketing; Customer Experience & Digital (CXD); Customer Engagement; Travel Products; and Department Planning, Operations, & Delivery.
Bill Tierney's role changed from Vice President Marketing & Digital Experience to Vice President Customer Experience & Digital (CXD), effective March 1.
The Digital Experience function will transition out of Marketing and join the Customer Experience organization. The CXD Department will be responsible for meeting the growing needs of the airline's Customers across the entire travel journey, while supporting revenue, operational, and cost-saving goals of the business.
Jonathan Clarkson's role changed from Vice President Marketing & Loyalty Products to Vice President Marketing, effective March 1.
Jennifer Bridie is promoted from Managing Director Marketing Strategy to Vice President, Marketing Communications and Strategy, reporting to Jonathan Clarkson, effective May 16.
In this role, Bridie is responsible for leading Marketing Strategy, Marketing Communications Go to Market, and Brand Teams.
Sonya Lacore, Vice President Inflight Operations, has made the decision to move to an Executive Advisor role effective June 16. Lacore's move paves the way for Steve Murtoff, who is promoted from Managing Director Inflight Safety Service & Base Ops to Vice President Inflight Operations, effective June 16.
Carrie Mills is promoted from Managing Director, Cybersecurity to Vice President of Cybersecurity, effective March 16.