Bill Ayer
Encyclopedia
William S. "Bill" Ayer, 52, is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Alaska Airlines
and Alaska Air Group which is the parent company of Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier Horizon Air
.
Originally interested in being a physician, he later changed career goals. He is graduate of Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in economics and biology, Ayer earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Washington
. He holds commercial and flight instructor pilot certificates with instrument and multi-engine ratings.
Ayer founded and was president of Air Olympia, a commuter airline serving Washington state
. “We operated for two years,” noted Ayer. “We didn’t go broke, but we probably would have if we’d stuck with it.”
He also served as a regional manager for Piper Aircraft Co.
Ayer began his career with Alaska in 1995 as vice president of marketing and planning and progressed through various posts to become chief executive officer in 2002, and chairman in 2003. He spent 13 years at Horizon where he was senior vice president of operations before joining Alaska.
Ayer is a director of Puget Energy, the Museum of Flight and Angel Flight America. He also serves on the University of Washington
Business School Advisory Board. Married with one child, he resides in Bellevue, Washington
. He uses his private pilot skills to fly Angel Flight America patients to their medical treatments.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
and Alaska Air Group which is the parent company of Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier Horizon Air
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. is a regional low-cost airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico....
.
Originally interested in being a physician, he later changed career goals. He is graduate of Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in economics and biology, Ayer earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. He holds commercial and flight instructor pilot certificates with instrument and multi-engine ratings.
Ayer founded and was president of Air Olympia, a commuter airline serving Washington state
Washington State
Washington State may refer to:* Washington , often referred to as "Washington state" to differentiate it from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States* Washington State University, a land-grant college in that state- See also :...
. “We operated for two years,” noted Ayer. “We didn’t go broke, but we probably would have if we’d stuck with it.”
He also served as a regional manager for Piper Aircraft Co.
Ayer began his career with Alaska in 1995 as vice president of marketing and planning and progressed through various posts to become chief executive officer in 2002, and chairman in 2003. He spent 13 years at Horizon where he was senior vice president of operations before joining Alaska.
Ayer is a director of Puget Energy, the Museum of Flight and Angel Flight America. He also serves on the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
Business School Advisory Board. Married with one child, he resides in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
. He uses his private pilot skills to fly Angel Flight America patients to their medical treatments.