American is new Air J CEO

[Lazie]

Veteran airline executive Edward Wegel is the new Chief Executive Officer of Air Jamaica.
RJR News has been informed that Air Jamaica's Board of Directors gave Mr. Wegel the nod over Canadian airline manager David Banmiller who was the second person being eyed for the job.

Our news centre was told that Mr. Wegel, who is an American, is to assume duties by the end of this month.
Mr. Wegel has more than 25 years of experience in the airline industry as well as in investment banking and restructuring.
Between 1994 and 1996 he was President as well as a member of the board of BWIA International Airways.

He also served as Director of Finance for Eastern Airlines from 1985-1987.
Following that stint, Mr. Wegel was a Vice President in the investment banking/restructuring division of Lehman Brothers in New York where he worked on the restructuring of several major airlines.
Mr. Wegel will have the task of leading Air Jamaica until its planned privatisation next year.

The Government is currently searching for a private sector partner to take over the operations of the financially-troubled airline which has racked up billions of dollars in debt.
The sale is expected to be completed by April.

[Stonigut]

Makes you wonder what they are really looking for to run Air J, just another retread/other guy who was a finance weenie at a couple of failed airlines. No matter what him do the bottom line problem at Air J is operations, low expectations of the staff and management and unclear and lax management, what is needed is one of the key guys from Southwest airlines, Continental, American, guys who know how to run operations on a tight budget and get the right people to do a good job, run a tight ship with goals clear across the board those who dont perform move on or move aside.

Why not get a guy with these kind of credentials.


Stephen E. Gorman

Stephen E. Gorman is executive vice president–Operations with responsibility for Flight Operations, Technical Operations, Operations Control Center, Safety, Security, Airport Customer Service, and Delta Global Services.
Gorman joins Delta from Greyhound Lines, Inc., where he served as chief executive officer and spearheaded a major four-year financial turnaround, increasing revenue per mile by more than 30 percent. Prior to that, he served as president of North America division for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. and executive vice president of Flight Operations and Technical Operations at Northwest Airlines. Gorman also served as chairman of the Board of Directors for Pinnacle Airlines Inc. from 2003 to 2007 and as a member of the Board of Directors for both Rohn Industries Inc., from 2000 to 2003 and TIMCO Aviation Services Inc. from 2001 to 2004.
His experience, knowledge of the airline industry, and ability to deliver superior results make him an ideal leader to build on the extraordinary operational performance Delta people deliver every day.
Gorman has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Eureka College and an MBA from Bradley University.






OR
Mark Moran

Mark Moran is executive vice president of operations for Continental Airlines Inc., a position he has held since August 2004. In this position, he is responsible for flight operations, inflight, airport services, technical operations, purchasing, cargo, food services, crew scheduling, flight safety/training and system operations coordination.
He has held various positions of increasing responsibility within Continental since joining the company in May 1994, his most recent being senior vice president of technical operations and purchasing.
Prior to joining Continental, Moran was director of engineering for US Airways. He started his airline career with Boeing Co. in 1979 as a design engineer, where he worked for five years before joining Piedmont Airlines.
He is a registered professional engineer and holds his private pilot license.
Moran graduated with a bachelor's degree in engineering from Marquette University in 1979. He lives in Houston with his wife and four children.


OR

Michael G. (Mike) Van de Ven, Age 46

Michael G. Van de Ven has been Executive Vice President - Chief of Operations of the Company since September 2006. Prior to that time, Mr. Van de Ven served as Executive Vice President - Aircraft Operations from November 2005 through August 2006, as Senior Vice President - Planning from August 2004 to November 2005, and as Vice President - Financial Planning & Analysis from June 2001 to August 2004. ...

Leaders like these who know how to really maximize results from an operational standpoint, another finance guy is not going to do anything for Air J as he will not affect the culture of the airline in any way shape or form, I guess this is just the setup to the big sellout.

[Me]

Are they interested in working for Air Jamaica.

[Muadib]

Um.. it sound like dem have a full-time job ahready....

Yuh want a man fi leave Delta or Continental to pretty up Air Jamaica for takeover ????

LOL !!

[Islandman]

You answered your questions in your last statement.

They are not looking for someone to turnaround the airline over the long term. They are looking for a hatchetman to do what it takes to get it ready for sale and then move on.

I say the sooner they get rid of this money pit the better.