Ask a QuestionSenior Officers
| David M. Davis | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
| Executive Vice President-Marketing and Distribution | |
| Tom Bach | President-Northwest Airlines Cargo |
| Kris Bauer | Senior Vice President-Technical Operations |
| Michael J. Becker | Senior Vice President-Human Resources and Labor Relations |
| Bob Brodin | Senior Vice President-Labor Relations |
| Jim Cron | Senior Vice President-Revenue Management, Planning, Loyalty Marketing and CEO MLT |
| Jim Friedel | Senior Vice President-Strategic Planning |
| Ben Hirst | Senior Vice President-Corporate Affairs and General Counsel |
| Kenneth J. Hylander | Senior Vice President-Safety, Engineering and Chief Safety Officer |
| Crystal Knotek | Senior Vice President-Customer Service and Airport Operations |
| Laura Liu | Senior Vice President-International |
| Daniel B. Matthews | Senior Vice President and Treasurer |
| Andrea Fischer Newman | Senior Vice President-Government Affairs |
| Timothy J. Rainey | Senior Vice President-Flight Operations and System Operations Control |
| Julie Showers | Senior Vice President-Inflight Services |
| Theresa Wise | Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer |
| Tammy Lee | Vice President-Corporate Communications |
| Anna Schaefer | Vice President-Finance and Chief Accounting Officer |
Douglas M. Steenland
President and Chief Executive OfficerNorthwest Airlines Corporation
Douglas M. Steenland is president and chief executive officer of Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA). He was named CEO on October 1, 2004, and has served as the airline's president since April 2001.He has served on Northwest's Board of Directors since 2001. In his role as the president and chief executive officer, Steenland oversees the formulation and execution of the airline's goals, objectives, and long-term strategic plans.
On April 14, 2008, Northwest and Delta announced a merger that will create America's premier global airline. As CEO, Steenland led the strategic planning and negotiations that resulted in a transaction that will transform the U.S. airline industry. The merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Prior to the merger announcement, Steenland successfully led the airline through the most difficult period in its history. He oversaw the most successful restructuring in the airline industry, reshaping Northwest Airlines into a financially viable airline by reducing operating costs and restructuring its balance sheet while ensuring that its 30,000 employees remained focused on customer service.
As a result, creditors received a substantial recovery on their bankruptcy claims and employees received $1.0 billion in distributions. Steenland also led the successful effort in Congress to enact new pension legislation, thus saving the hard-earned pensions of Northwest employees and retirees.
As evidence of its successful restructuring, in 2007 Northwest had the highest profit margins among U.S. network carriers and the third most profitable year in its 80 year history. In 2007, Northwest distributed $125 million to its employees in incentive payments.
While serving as president, Steenland's responsibilities included: alliances, where he oversaw the company's relationships with its 16 airline partners and Northwest's entry into SkyTeam; government affairs; labor relations; human resources; corporate and brand communications and legal affairs.
Steenland joined Northwest in 1991 as vice president and deputy general counsel. Between 1994 and 1999, he was a senior vice president and general counsel, and following that, he served as the airline's executive vice president and chief corporate officer.
Before joining Northwest, Steenland worked as a senior partner at the Washington, D.C. law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson, and Hand (now part of Piper Rudnick, Washington, D.C.) and handled matters related to transportation, corporate law, telecommunications, government relations, and insurance. He also has served in the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Steenland holds a bachelor of arts in history from Michigan's Calvin College and a juris doctor (with highest honors) from the National Law Center at George Washington University. He serves on the Board of Directors of Northwest Airlines, Inc. and is President of the Board of Directors of the Air Transport Association and a member of the Board of the International Air Transport Association. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Orchestra, the Greater Twin Cities United Way and is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guthrie Theater.
Steenland is married and has two children.
David M. Davis
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial OfficerNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
David M. Davis was named executive vice president and chief financial officer for Northwest Airlines in June 2007. In addition to overseeing financial planning, accounting, tax, treasury, investor relations, fuel and fleet planning for the company, Davis also has responsibility for managing facilities and airport affairs, which had previously reported to president and chief executive officer Doug Steenland.
Davis reports to Steenland, the Northwest president and chief executive officer.
Prior to his appointment, Davis served as a senior vice president - finance and controller for Northwest Airlines, where he was responsible for the airline's accounting, financial planning, analysis and fleet planning functions.
Davis rejoined Northwest in August 2005 after serving most recently as chief financial officer of Houston-based KRATON Polymers, LLC.
Prior to his position at KRATON, Davis was the executive vice president - finance and chief financial officer of US Airways, where he led the company's finance functions, fleet planning, purchasing, information technology, corporate real estate, investor relations and internal auditing.
In addition to his position at US Airways, Davis has served as vice president - financial planning and analysis for Budget Group, Inc. as well as holding key finance positions at both Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines.
Davis holds a master of business administration and a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Minnesota. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Compass Airlines, Inc., Mesaba Aviation, Inc. and ARINC, Inc., where he also serves as chairman of the ARINC Audit Committee.
J. Timothy Griffin
Executive Vice President-Marketing and DistributionNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
J. Timothy Griffin is executive vice president-marketing and distribution, a position he has held since January 1999.
Griffin oversees the company's planning, scheduling, domestic pricing and yield management, sales, distribution planning, marketing and loyalty programs, e-commerce, reservations and tour (MLT) divisions. He reports to Doug Steenland, president and CEO.
Griffin joined Northwest in 1993 from Continental Airlines where he served as senior vice president of schedules and pricing. He has more than 20 years experience in the airline industry. Prior to Continental he spent four years with American Airlines.
He received his undergraduate degree from Florida Atlantic University and a master's degree from the University of Washington.
Kris Bauer
Senior Vice President-Technical OperationsNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Kris Bauer was named senior vice president for technical operations at Northwest Airlines in October 2004. Bauer is responsible for all maintenance and engineering matters concerning Northwest's fleet. This includes line and plant maintenance, airframe, engine and component overhauls, and other technical operation support functions. He had been vice president of aircraft maintenance operations for the airline since March 2003.
Bauer joined Northwest in 1996. He has been the managing director of technical operations finance and has worked in the company's financial planning and analysis division.
Prior to joining Northwest, Bauer had worked in engineering at Boeing and in various financial positions with United Airlines.
Bauer holds a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Kansas and an MBA from Cornell University.
Bauer lives with his wife and children in Lakeville, Minn.
Michael J. Becker
Senior Vice President-Human Resources and Labor RelationsNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Mike Becker is senior vice president of human resources for Northwest Airlines, Inc. He has been in the position since August 2001. Becker is responsible for all worldwide human resources functions including employee relations, compensation, benefits, pensions, training, executive recruiting, management development, diversity and corporate services. In addition, Becker oversees international labor relations.
Becker joined Northwest Airlines in May 1993. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as vice president - international, where he was responsible for all financial, administration and operations functions for the airline's Atlantic and Pacific divisions. He also has been Northwest's managing director of corporate human resources.
Prior to joining Northwest, Becker served for six years in various human resources, compensation and planning positions with The Dow Chemical Company. He holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from St. John's University and a master's degree in human resources and industrial relations from the University of Minnesota.
Becker has served on the boards of the University of Minnesota Industrial Relations Center, the Minnesota International Center, and the Narita Radisson Hotel. He resides in Eden Prairie, Minn. with his wife and children.
Jim Cron
Senior Vice President-Domestic Revenue Management, Planning & Loyalty MarketingNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Jim Cron was promoted in September 2007 to senior vice president of domestic revenue management, planning and loyalty marketing, where he is responsible for the company's North America schedule planning, pricing, yield management and loyalty marketing organizations. Cron is also the CEO of MLT Vacations, a wholly owned subsidiary of Northwest.
Prior to his current position, Cron has held various vice president and director positions throughout the marketing organization. Cron began his career at NWA in 1990 in the financial planning division. Prior to Northwest, Cron worked in finance at Pillsbury Company in Minneapolis.
Jim serves as a board member for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and World Trade Center Wisconsin. He also serves as a board member for Compass Holdings, a wholly owned regional airline subsidiary of Northwest.
Cron, a Minnesota native, holds a B.S. in accounting from St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., and an M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. He is married with three children and resides in Eden Prairie, Minn.
Richard B. Hirst
Senior Vice President-Corporate Affairs and General CounselNorthwest Airlines
Richard “Ben” Hirst was named senior Vice President-Corporate Affairs in October, 2007 and General Counsel in March, 2008. In that role he oversees the Company’s legal affairs and is also responsible for the company’s internal and external communications. He is also involved in other matters at the discretion of CEO Doug Steenland. He reports to Mr. Steenland.
Hirst first came to Northwest Airlines in 1990 as Senior Vice President-General Counsel and in 1994 assumed the post of Senior Vice President-Corporate Affairs which he held until he resigned in 1999. During that period he was responsible for the company’s labor relations and government affairs, in addition to his other responsibilities. After leaving Northwest in 1999, Hirst was General Counsel of the Minnesota Twins, Executive VP and General Counsel of Burger King Corporation and Executive VP and Chief Legal Officer of KB Home.
From 1986 to 1990 Hirst was Vice President-General Counsel and Secretary at Continental Airlines. Before joining Continental in 1983, he was an associate professor of law at the University of Puget Sound Law School, Tacoma, Washington and, during the deregulation of the airline industry, was Assistant to the Director of International and Domestic Aviation for the Civil Aeronautics Board. In his early career he was in private law practice in Vermont and served as a law clerk in U.S. District Court in Vermont. While in college he spent a year as a reporter on the Providence (R.I.) Journal-Bulletin.
He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1972 and Harvard College in 1969. He lives in Woodland, MN with Nancy, his wife, and Bailey, a West Highland Terrier.
Kenneth J. Hylander
Vice President-Safety, Engineering and Chief Safety OfficerNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Kenneth J. Hylander is Vice President of Safety and Engineering for Northwest Airlines. As Chief Safety Officer, he is responsible for management of the airline's overall safety program and performance. In addition to operational safety, he is also responsible for occupational and environmental safety and the carrier's Internal Evaluation program. Additionally, Hylander is responsible for the technical support to the airline's various aircraft maintenance and modification programs, including overall fleet reliability management.
Appointed Chief Safety Officer in August 2001, Hylander is also responsible for representing Northwest's safety interests in Washington, D.C. and ensuring compliance with rules and regulations established by the Department of Transportation and other government agencies.
Prior to joining Northwest in September 1997, as the Vice President of Engineering, Hylander spent nearly 17 years at United Airlines where he held a variety of engineering, quality assurance and operations management positions.
Hylander is currently a member of the Air Transport Association's Senior Advisory Committee. He is past chairman of the Association's Engineering, Maintenance and Material Council. In addition, he has chaired both the Airworthiness Engineering and the Avionics Systems Engineering Committees of the Air Transport Association. He is past chair of the 3,500 member American Society for Quality's Aviation, Space and Defense Division. He is also a member of the SAE's Aerospace Program office and a senior advisor to the United States Air Force's Fleet Viability Board.
Hylander graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He obtained a master's degree in business administration from California State University.
Crystal Knotek
Senior Vice President-Customer Service and Airport OperationsNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Crystal Knotek was named senior vice president - customer service and ground operations in April 2006 where she is responsible for customer service and ground operations at Northwest.
Prior to holding this position, Knotek served as vice president - reservations and customer care for Northwest Airlines where she was responsible for the management of the airline's five domestic call centers and leading Northwest's customer care organization that works with the airline's customers to understand their needs, address any of their concerns and manage passenger refunds.
Knotek joined Northwest in 1985 as a reservations sales agent. She also has held various other key management positions within the airline's reservations and human resources departments. Prior to being named vice president - reservations and customer care in 2005, she served as vice president of reservations sales and service, and managing director of reservations sales and service.
Knotek holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. She received a master's degree in marketing education from the University of Minnesota. Knotek has served on the board of directors of Ezekiel Lutheran Church, the Kniest Syndrome Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and is currently serving on the boards of the Wishes and More Foundation.
Knotek is married and resides in River Falls, Wis. She has four children.
Laura H. Liu
Senior Vice President-InternationalNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Laura H. Liu is senior vice president of international for Northwest Airlines. Liu is responsible for all commercial aspects of Northwest's international division. She oversees network planning, pricing, inventory management, sales, marketing, distribution planning, human resources, finance and administration.
Liu joined Northwest in 1991 as manager of marketing systems development. She was promoted to director of international yield management in 1995, and then managing director of international revenue management in 1997. She was named vice president of international marketing and revenue management in 1999 and assumed her present position in October 2007. Prior to her career at Northwest, Liu worked at American Airlines in the pricing and yield management department.
Liu holds three degrees from Cornell University; an M.B.A. and master of science and bachelor of science degrees in engineering.
Liu serves on the boards of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony and resides in Minneapolis with her husband and two children.
Daniel B. Matthews
Senior Vice President and TreasurerNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Mr. Matthews is senior vice president finance and treasurer of Northwest Airlines Corporation. As treasurer, he is responsible for all corporate finance, aircraft finance, treasury operation and risk management activities for the company. Matthews reports to Neal Cohen, executive vice president and chief financial officer.
Matthews joined Northwest in 1993 and prior to June 2000 was vice president and assistant treasurer responsible for corporate finance, treasury operations and aircraft transactions. Before 1999 he was vice president - aircraft transactions, responsible for aircraft acquisition, financing and leasing activities for Northwest and its regional Airlink affiliates.
Prior to joining Northwest, Matthews was assistant treasurer of Ryder System, Inc. (1990-1993) responsible for centralized domestic corporate finance activities of Ryder System and its many aviation and transportation related subsidiaries. Before that he was staff vice president and treasurer of Eastern Air Lines, Inc. where he held several corporate finance and treasury-related positions from 1982-1990. Matthews held commercial lending and tax-oriented lease financing positions at both Sears Bank & Trust Company and Borg-Warner Leasing in Chicago during the 1978-1982 periods.
His education includes an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago (1977) and a double B.A. from Lewis University (1976) in Business Administration and Economics as well as having received a private pilot's license. He is on the Board of a Minneapolis based municipal transportation company, DARTS, and is a member of a special advisory council to Lewis University.
Andrea Fischer Newman
Senior Vice President-Government AffairsNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Andrea Fischer Newman was appointed to Senior Vice President – Government Affairs in February 2001, with responsibility for the Company’s international, federal, state and local government affairs. She previously was Vice President, State and Local Affairs. Ms. Newman has played leadership roles on behalf of Northwest and the airline industry in numerous legislative efforts including the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act in 2001, the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004, the Pension Protection Act of 2006, and the creation of an Airport Authority at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Immediately prior to joining Northwest, Ms. Newman was a senior partner at the Detroit law firm of Miller, Canfield, Paddock, and Stone. Her previous experience includes Special Counsel to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Logistics, Deputy Assistant to then Vice President George Bush and the Washington, D.C. law firm of Patton, Boggs. Ms. Newman’s legal specialty is government contracts.
In February 2002, Ms. Newman was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Federal Service Impasses Panel and reappointed in 2007.
Ms. Newman is also an elected member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan and serves on the Board of the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) and as a Vice President of the Detroit Economic Club. She is a member of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.
Ms. Newman is a 1983 graduate of the George Washington University National Law Center, and an honors graduate of the University of Michigan (1979).
Timothy J. Rainey
Senior Vice President-Flight Operations and System Operations ControlNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Timothy J. Rainey was appointed senior vice president of flight operations and System Operations Control in August 2001. He oversees all flight operations and directs the daily operational control of all Northwest flights worldwide. His other responsibilities include pilot crew planning and scheduling, performance engineering, operations analysis and emergency management.
Prior to his current position, Rainey worked within the airline's System Operations Control center before he was named vice president of System Operations Control in 1999. Rainey also has served as managing director of operations control and was responsible for the daily operational control of Northwest's worldwide flights.
Rainey, who has been with the airline since 1977, has held other management positions Systems Operations Control and ground operations in Minneapolis and other Northwest locations.
Rainey holds a degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota. He was a member of the university's 1974 and 1976 NCAA national championship hockey teams. He is married and lives in Excelsior, Minn.
Theresa Wise
Senior Vice President and Chief Information OfficerNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Theresa Wise was appointed senior vice president and chief information officer of Northwest Airlines in June 2007. Wise reports directly to Doug Steenland, president and chief executive officer.
Previously, she served as vice president - information services since October 2001, overseeing the Northwest Airlines Information Services (IS) group.
Wise joined Northwest in 1993 and prior to her appointment as vice president - information services, she held the position of managing director information services.
Wise graduated from St. Olaf College with a bachelor of arts in mathematics and chemistry and holds a Ph.D. and a master of science degree in operations research and applied math from Cornell University. She is an active supporter of the arts, having served on the boards of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Children's Theatre Company and as a violinist with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra.
Tammy L. Lee
Vice President-Corporate CommunicationsNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Tammy Lee currently serves as the Vice President of Corporate Communications for Northwest Airlines, where she oversees all internal and external communications strategies for the Company. This includes all publications, including the Inflight magazine, WorldTraveler; the daily Newswire e-mail to all employees; monthly employee newsletter, Connections; global media relations; global public and community relations; corporate social responsibility - including charitable giving; events and sponsorships; corporate identity; and new media for NWA's internal and Intranet communications.
Before joining NWA, Lee ran for U.S. Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional district. Before that, she held several other senior management positions in the airline, travel and tourism industries.
From 2003 to 2006, Lee was Vice President of Corporate Affairs for a $2 billion privately held vacation marketing and technology company, La Macchia Enterprises.
There, she managed corporate communications, government affairs, interactive marketing, employee relations and external communications for the 16 branded vacation companies of La Macchia Enterprises, including: Funjet Vacations; United Vacations; US Airways Vacations; Midwest Airlines Vacations; ATA Vacations; Spirit Vacations; and MGM Mirage Vacations.
Prior to that, she was the Managing Director of Corporate Affairs for US Airways, where she helped spearhead federal government affairs initiatives during their Chapter 11 restructuring. Lee also worked in crisis communications as a corporate liaison at the site of the US Airways Flight 5481 accident in Charlotte, NC.
Before that, Lee was Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs for Sun Country Airlines. Lee joined Sun Country in 1999 to help with the airline's conversion from a charter to scheduled carrier and was on the senior management team through the airline's Chapter 11 restructuring and sale to new owners in 2002.
Prior to joining Sun Country, Lee worked in politics as the communications director for Hubert H. "Skip" Humphrey's gubernatorial bid in 1998. Before that, she served as press secretary to U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan in Washington, DC.
Lee started her career in TV news with assignments including working as the national breaking news producer for the Fox News Channel in Washington, DC; and national custom news producer for Hubbard-owned Conus Communications /All News Channel in Washington, DC. Lee was also a member of the White House press corps and Capitol Hill press corps.
In 2007, she was included in the prestigious list of "40 Under 40" rising stars in business by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. In 2001, Lee was named "Corporate Woman of Achievement" by the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Lee received her MBA from the University of St. Thomas and B.A. degrees in Political Science and Communication Studies from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.
Lee serves on the Board of Directors for WomenWinning, formerly the Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund. She recently completed a term as co-chair of the Graduate Business Alumni Board for the University of St. Thomas.
Anna Schaefer
Vice President-Finance and Chief Accounting OfficerNorthwest Airlines, Inc.
Anna Schaefer was named vice president - finance and chief accounting officer in December 2005. Schaefer, who reports to David Davis, senior vice president - finance and controller, is responsible for overseeing all accounting related functions at Northwest including revenue accounting, corporate accounting and reporting, payroll and payables.
Schaefer, who joined the airline in 1992, has held a variety of leadership positions in accounting, information services and marketing at Northwest, including her most recent position as managing director - accounting. In addition to working with Northwest Airlines, Schaefer has also held positions at Sabre Travel Information Network, National Car Rental System, Inc. and Equico Lessors, Inc.
Schaefer holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and business administration/finance from Mankato State University. She is a certified public accountant.
