David Barger
Encyclopedia
David J. Barger is the current President and the Chief Executive Officer
of JetBlue Airways
. He was part of JetBlue's founding team and is on the corporation's board of directors
.
s came from his father, who was a United Airlines
pilot for 37 years. From 1982 to 1988, Barger served in a number of positions with New York Air
, such as the Director of Stations. In 1992 he joined with Continental Airlines
and held various management positions including Vice President of Continental's Newark Liberty International Airport
hub.
Barger was part of the JetBlue Airways
founding team in 1998, and served as the Chief Operating Officer
for Jet Blue until March 2007. During the airline's first months of operation, when a JetBlue plane was forced to divert en route so that a diabetic passenger could receive emergency care, Barger reportedly personally apologized to each passenger for the delay, and offered a free flight as compensation. Following a February 2007 incident in which the airline was forced to cancel nearly 1,700 flights due to winter storms, JetBlue's board of directors replaced Chief Executive Officer David Neeleman
. Barger, then 49, became JetBlue's new Chief Executive Officer on May 10, 2007. Neeleman, the company's largest individual investor, became a nonexecutive chairman as a result of the change. On June 1, 2009, Barger became the president of JetBlue.
of the Flight Safety Foundation
, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the field of air safety
. In 2007, Barger gave $4.5 million USD to the Barger Leadership Institute in the Organizational Studies Program in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the University of Michigan
.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways Corporation is an American low-cost airline. The company is headquartered in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. Its main base is John F. Kennedy International Airport, also in Queens....
. He was part of JetBlue's founding team and is on the corporation's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
.
Career
Dave Barger's interest in airlineAirline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
s came from his father, who was a United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
pilot for 37 years. From 1982 to 1988, Barger served in a number of positions with New York Air
New York Air
New York Air was a 1980s startup airline owned by Texas Air Corporation and based at LaGuardia Airport in Flushing, Queens, New York City.-History:...
, such as the Director of Stations. In 1992 he joined with Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
and held various management positions including Vice President of Continental's Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
hub.
Barger was part of the JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways Corporation is an American low-cost airline. The company is headquartered in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. Its main base is John F. Kennedy International Airport, also in Queens....
founding team in 1998, and served as the Chief Operating Officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
for Jet Blue until March 2007. During the airline's first months of operation, when a JetBlue plane was forced to divert en route so that a diabetic passenger could receive emergency care, Barger reportedly personally apologized to each passenger for the delay, and offered a free flight as compensation. Following a February 2007 incident in which the airline was forced to cancel nearly 1,700 flights due to winter storms, JetBlue's board of directors replaced Chief Executive Officer David Neeleman
David Neeleman
David G. Neeleman is a Brazilian-born American entrepreneur who has founded three commercial airlines, Morris Air, JetBlue Airways and Azul Brazilian Airlines.-Biography:...
. Barger, then 49, became JetBlue's new Chief Executive Officer on May 10, 2007. Neeleman, the company's largest individual investor, became a nonexecutive chairman as a result of the change. On June 1, 2009, Barger became the president of JetBlue.
Charitable work
Barger is on both the executive committee and the board of governorsBoard of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...
of the Flight Safety Foundation
Flight Safety Foundation
Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, international organization dedicated to research, education, advocacy and publishing in the field of air safety. FSF brings together aviation professionals from all the sectors to help solve safety problems facing the industry...
, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the field of air safety
Air safety
Air safety is a term encompassing the theory, investigation and categorization of flight failures, and the prevention of such failures through regulation, education and training. It can also be applied in the context of campaigns that inform the public as to the safety of air travel.-United...
. In 2007, Barger gave $4.5 million USD to the Barger Leadership Institute in the Organizational Studies Program in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.