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Gary Kelly serves as the
Chairman of the Board,
President, and Chief
Executive Officer at
Southwest Airlines. A
23-year Southwest veteran
who became CFO in 1989, Gary
has worked closely with
Southwest's legendary
Cofounder and Chairman
Emeritus Herb Kelleher and
President Emeritus Colleen
Barrett to build the
nation's fifth-largest
airline—and the undisputed
Low-Fare Leader.
Gary began his career at
Southwest Airlines as
Controller, moving up to
Chief Financial Officer and
Vice President Finance, then
Executive Vice President and
CFO, before being promoted
to CEO and Vice Chairman in
July 2004. Gary assumed the
role of Chairman in May 2008
and President in July 2008.
Prior to joining Southwest
Airlines in 1986, Gary was a
CPA for Arthur Young &
Company in Dallas and
Controller for Systems
Center, Inc.
Southwest
Airlines is celebrating 37
years of consecutive
profitability and was named
#1 in Customer Satisfaction
by the Department of
Transportation for the year
2008. For the 13th year in
a row, Fortune
magazine listed Southwest
Airlines among America’s
most admired corporations.
Gary has received awards and
recognitions, including
being named one of
Business Travel News’ 25
Most Influential Executives
of 2004; named a finalist
for Texan of the Year by the
Dallas Morning News
editors for the year 2005;
honored with the 4th Annual
Friends of Texas Public
Schools Friend of the Year
Award for 2008; named one of
the best CEOs in America for
2008, 2009, and 2010 by
Institutional Investor
magazine; and most recently
voted Dallas CEO of the Year
by both the Dallas
Morning News’ “Top 100
Places to Work” and D CEO
magazine.
Gary received a B.B.A. in
Accounting from the
University of Texas at
Austin and is a Certified
Public Accountant. He is a
member of the Texas Society
of CPAs; serves on the
McCombs School Accounting
Advisory Board and Advisory
Council at the University of
Texas at Austin; serves on
the board of the Dallas
Citizens Council; and was
most recently named to the
Lincoln National
Corporation’s Board of
Directors
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