Aviation Week & Space Technology Honors Joe Leonard

[haze]

dbaker can't be too happy about this, I specifically remember him quoting AW&ST a few times and giving the impressions it was one of his favorites. What must he think now they're consorting with the enemy?!

AirTran Airways Chairman and CEO Receives Prestigious Laureates Award; Aviation Week and Space Technology Gives Joe Leonard Award for Commercial Air Transport Category
Source: Comtex News Network (Business Wire)

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AAI), today announced that its chairman and chief executive officer, Joe Leonard, was honored last night with a prestigious Laureates Award at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Created to honor extraordinary achievements in aviation and aerospace, the Laureates Award is given by the publisher of Aviation Week and Space Technology and annually recognizes achievement in six categories: Aeronautics/Propulsion, Commercial Air Transport, Electronics, Government/Military, Operations, and Space.

The Laureates represent an elite class of distinguished men and women who epitomize the values and vision of the global aerospace industry. In 1997, Aviation Week launched the Laureates Hall of Fame, a permanent public archive of Laureate winners and legendary Laurels winners.

"This honor acknowledges what the rest of Joe's colleagues have always known - that Joe is a leader not only at AirTran Airways, but also throughout the aviation industry," said AirTran Airways President and Chief Operating Officer Bob Fornaro. "His experience in the field and contributions to every facet of the company demonstrate that leadership on a daily basis. We're proud to have him recognized with this award."

A 30-year veteran of the commercial air transport industry, Leonard joined AirTran Airways in January 1999 after serving as president and CEO of AlliedSignal, Inc.'s aerospace marketing, sales & service organization. Prior to joining AlliedSignal, Leonard held a wide range of executive positions including chief operating officer for Eastern Air Lines as well as a number of key management and engineering positions at American Airlines, Northwest Airlines and the Boeing Company.

Leonard is a native of Augusta, Ga., and received his degree in aerospace engineering from Auburn University in Auburn, Ala. He serves on the Board of Directors of both the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors' Bureau and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Leonard lives in both Orlando, Fla., and Minneapolis, Minn., with his wife, Phyllis.

I also clearly recall dbaker and a few of his cronies deriding AirTran management as incompetent and dangerous carryovers from ValuJet. But wait just one minute:

Created to honor extraordinary achievements in aviation and aerospace, the Laureates Award is given by the publisher of Aviation Week and Space Technology and annually recognizes achievement...The Laureates represent an elite class of distinguished men and women who epitomize the values and vision of the global aerospace industry.

So which is it dbaker? The dangerous "bottom-liner" you speak of, or the award-winning Laureate who "represents an elite class of distinguished men and women who epitomize the values and vision of the global aerospace industry"? Again, I must defer to the experts at AW&ST on this one, not some frequent flier in Texas

[jetmech717]

What a nice article.