Douglas Steenland
Encyclopedia
Douglas M. Steenland was president and chief executive officer
of Northwest Airlines
(NYSE: NWA). He was named CEO on October 1, 2004, and served as the airline's president from 2004 until its merger with Delta Air Lines
in October 2008.
and a juris doctor (with highest honors) from the National Law Center at George Washington University
. He serves on the Board of Directors of Northwest Airlines, Inc. and is President of the Board of Directors of the Air Transport Association
and a member of the Board of the International Air Transport Association
. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Orchestra
, the Greater Twin Cities United Way and is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guthrie Theater
.
On April 12, 2010, Steenland was appointed the non-executive Chairman of the Board for Performance Food Group
, the third largest foodservice
distributor in the United States. In August of 2011, Travelport
announced Douglas Steenland was appointed as vice chairman of its board of directors . He also serves as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of International Lease Finance Corporation
.
, first joining the airline in 1991 as vice president and deputy general counsel. Between 1994 and 1999, he was a senior vice president and general counsel
. Following that he served as the airline's executive vice president and chief corporate officer. From 2004 to 2008 he was Chief executive officer of Northwest Airlines
, and helped lead the airline through difficult economic times, including the Severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, recession
, Iraq War, ending when the airline merged with Delta Air Lines in 2008.
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 Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
(NYSE: NWA). He was named CEO on October 1, 2004, and served as the airline's president from 2004 until its merger with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
in October 2008.
Education
Steenland holds a bachelor of arts in history from Michigan's Calvin CollegeCalvin College
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism...
and a juris doctor (with highest honors) from the National Law Center at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
. He serves on the Board of Directors of Northwest Airlines, Inc. and is President of the Board of Directors of the Air Transport Association
Air Transport Association
Airlines for America , formerly known as Air Transport Association of America, Inc. , is America's oldest and largest airline trade association. A4A member airlines and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. Based in Washington, D.C., the...
and a member of the Board of the International Air Transport Association
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Orchestra
Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Emil Oberhoffer founded the orchestra as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, and it gave its first performance on November 5 of that year. In 1968 the orchestra changed to its name to the Minnesota Orchestra...
, the Greater Twin Cities United Way and is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guthrie Theater
Guthrie Theater
The Guthrie Theater is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the result of the desire of Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Oliver Rea, and Peter Zeisler to create a resident acting company that would produce and perform the classics in...
.
Career
Steenland worked as a senior partner at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson, and Hand (now part of Piper Rudnick, Washington, D.C.) and handled matters related to transportation, corporate law, telecommunications, government relations, and insurance. He also has served in the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation.On April 12, 2010, Steenland was appointed the non-executive Chairman of the Board for Performance Food Group
Performance Food Group
Performance Food Group Company is a company that was founded in 1875. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, United States, the company distributes a range of food products....
, the third largest foodservice
Foodservice
Food Service or catering industry defines those businesses, institutions, and companies responsible for any meal prepared outside the home...
distributor in the United States. In August of 2011, Travelport
Travelport
Travelport is a broad-based business services company and a leading provider of critical transaction processing solutions to companies operating in the global travel industry...
announced Douglas Steenland was appointed as vice chairman of its board of directors . He also serves as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of International Lease Finance Corporation
International Lease Finance Corporation
The International Lease Finance Corporation is an aircraft lessor headquartered in Century City, Los Angeles, California.It is the world's largest aircraft lessor by value, though ILFC's rival, General Electric's GECAS unit, has more aircraft...
.
Northwest Airlines
Steenland had a 17 year career with Northwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
, first joining the airline in 1991 as vice president and deputy general counsel. Between 1994 and 1999, he was a senior vice president and general counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
. Following that he served as the airline's executive vice president and chief corporate officer. From 2004 to 2008 he was Chief executive officer of Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
, and helped lead the airline through difficult economic times, including the Severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
, Iraq War, ending when the airline merged with Delta Air Lines in 2008.