Senior Officers

Edward Bastian

Edward Bastian is chief executive officer and president for Northwest Airlines, Inc. and also serves as president and chief financial officer for Delta Air Lines, Inc.

As president at Delta, Bastian and his team oversaw and coordinated the Company's strategy from network planning and revenue management to sales, marketing and business development. In his prior role as CFO Bastian also served as the Company's Chief Restructuring Officer, leading Delta through one of the largest and most successful Chapter 11 restructuring processes in U.S. history, and did so in 19 months. The solid business plan Bastian helped develop included $3 billion in annual financial improvements and garnered strong support from the company's creditors and employees. In addition to achieving an industry leading financial position, Delta's Plan of Reorganization included an innovative compensation program for Delta employees including stock, cash payouts and pay increases.

Bastian joined Delta in October 1998 as vice president of Finance and Controller and was promoted to senior vice president in February 2000. In that role, Bastian guided the company through profit improvement initiatives garnering $5 billion in cost savings and revenue benefits between 2002 and 2004.

Bastian left Delta in early 2005 to become senior vice president and Chief Financial Officer of Acuity Brands. He returned to Delta in July 2005 as CFO and was promoted to president in August 2007.

Bastian previously worked for PepsiCo where he served as vice president of Finance for Pepsi Cola International. While at PepsiCo he had also served as vice president of business processes reengineering for Frito-Lay and vice president, Finance and Controller for Frito-Lay International. Prior to PepsiCo, Bastian was a partner in the New York audit practice of Price Waterhouse specializing in the entertainment, advertising and manufacturing sectors, and also served as the strategic planning partner for Price Waterhouse's New York Region.

A 1979 graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a BBA, Bastian currently serves on the International Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity and the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta. Bastian lives in Atlanta with his wife, Anna, and their four children.

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Michael J. Becker

Mike Becker is Chief Operating Officer Northwest Airlines, Inc. He served as senior vice president of human resources 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.

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Kris Bauer

Kris Bauer was named senior vice president for technical operations at NWA 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.

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Bill Lentsch

Bill was named Senior Vice President, Flight Operations and System Operations Control in October, 2008. He oversees all flight operations, including the airlines' more than 4,700 pilots. Additionally, he directs the daily operational control of all Northwest flights worldwide. Other responsibilities include Pilot Crew Planning and Scheduling, Performance Engineering and Operations Analysis.

In May 2006, Bill was vice president - customer service/Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) where he oversaw the overall performance, development and growth of the airline's MSP hub. He represented Northwest as part of the Metropolitan Airport Commission's (MAC) MSP 2020 Vision plan, as well as with the MAC, the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and other local agencies.

In July 2005 Bill was appointed vice president-station operations where he oversaw the customer service organization at 117 airports in the U.S. and Canada. Prior to holding this position, Bill served as Chief Operating Officer at Champion Air where he held responsibility for all flight, ground, SOC and technical operations.

Before joining Champion Air in 2003, Bill was Northwest's vice president-engine and component maintenance operations. Since originally joining Northwest in 1989, Lentsch has held a number of management positions with increasing responsibility including managing director-line maintenance operations and director-aircraft engineering.

Bill holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering and mechanics from the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology and a master of business administration degree from the University of St. Thomas.

Bill and his family reside in the Twin Cities area.

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Kenneth J. Hylander

Kenneth J. Hylander is Vice President of Safety and Engineering for Northwest Airlines, Inc. 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.

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