Am I the only one getting this message with looks like puncuation codes? Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger LaFrance" <lafrance@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 5:57 PM Subject: Good Bye Larry > JEFF SMISEK TO =0ABECOME CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF > CONTINENTA= > L AIRLINES; LARRY =0AKELLNER TO RETURN TO PRIVATE EQUITYAFTER 14 YEARS > WITH= > THE =0AAIRLINE=0AHOUSTON, =0AJuly 16, 2009 -- Continental Airlines > (NYSE:= > CAL) announced today that Jeff =0ASmisek, 54, Continental=E2=80=99s > presid= > ent and chief operating officer and a member of =0Athe board of directors, > = > will become chairman and chief executive officer, =0Aeffective January 1, > 2= > 010. Smisek will succeed Larry Kellner, 50, who has =0Adecided to return > t= > o private equity at year-end after 14 years with Continental, =0Athe last > f= > ive of them as chairman and CEO. =0A =0A=E2=80=9CIt has been a great > hono= > r to lead the professional men and women of Continental =0Aand be part of > t= > he premier airline in the industry,=E2=80=9D Kellner said. =E2=80=9CI > have= > =0Aworked closely with Jeff throughout my tenure, and he is a strong and > e= > ffective =0Aleader. I am confident Jeff will maintain > Continental=E2=80=99= > s unique culture and =0Asuccessfully lead the Continental team through > thes= > e challenging =0Atimes.=0A=E2=80=9CWhile =0AI will deeply miss my > co-worker= > s at Continental, it is the right time for this =0Atransition. > Continental= > has gained approval from DOT of our Star Alliance =0Aapplication, which > wi= > ll allow us to continue as an effective global competitor,=E2=80=9D > =0AKell= > ner added.=0A=E2=80=9CThe =0ABoard thanks Larry for his tremendous > leadersh= > ip of Continental during some of =0Athe most challenging times this > industr= > y has faced,=E2=80=9D said Henry Meyer, lead =0Adirector for Continental. > = > =0A =E2=80=9CThe =0ABoard has consistently focused on succession planning, > = > and Jeff=E2=80=99s experience, =0Askills and long partnership with Larry > ma= > ke him the ideal executive to succeed =0ALarry as chairman and CEO. We > look= > forward to working with Jeff as he continues =0AContinental=E2=80=99s > indu= > stry leadership.=E2=80=9D=0A =E2=80=9CAlthough =0AI am saddened that Larry > = > has decided to move on, I respect his decision and wish =0Ahim continued > su= > ccess,=E2=80=9D said Smisek. =E2=80=9COver the next several months, Larry > = > and I =0Awill work together to ensure a smooth transition. Our entire > team= > will remain =0Afocused on returning our company to profitability, and > Cont= > inental=E2=80=99s great =0Aculture will continue to be the driving force > of= > the company=E2=80=99s long-term =0Asuccess,=E2=80=9D he added. > =0AHouston= > -based =0Aboard member Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell noted Kellner=E2=80=99s > civ= > ic contributions. =0A=E2=80=9CThe Houston community has been blessed > with= > having Larry as both a leader at =0AContinental and a leader of our > commun= > ity. Continental has been a tremendous =0Apartner to the Houston > community= > and we look forward to working with Jeff as he =0Aassumes his new > role,=E2= > =80=9D said Pastor Caldwell.=0A =0AContinental was named > Fortune= > magazine=E2=80=99s No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline in =0Aeach year of > Ke= > llner=E2=80=99s tenure as chairman and CEO. He fostered > Continental=E2=80= > =99s =0Aworking together culture, while leading the carrier=E2=80=99s > expan= > sion into London =0AHeathrow, China and India and focusing the company on > f= > uel efficiency and =0Aenvironmental responsibility.=0AKellner =0Awill head > = > Emerald Creek Group, LLC, a new private investment firm based in > =0AHouston= > . =0AJeff =0ASmisek biography=0AJeff =0ASmisek is president and chief > ope= > rating officer of Continental Airlines and a =0Amember of the Board of > Dire= > ctors. He is responsible for airline operations, =0Aincluding flight > operat= > ions, inflight, airports, catering, cargo, maintenance =0Aand technical > ope= > rations, and also human resources and labor relations, global =0Areal > estat= > e, security and environmental affairs, corporate communications, > =0Afederal= > affairs, and international, state and local affairs. Over the course of = > =0Ahis tenure at Continental, he has also overseen sales and marketing, > tec= > hnology =0Aand legal affairs. =0ASmisek =0Ajoined the airline in March > 199= > 5 as senior vice president and general counsel, =0Aand has since held > posit= > ions of increasing responsibility. He became president =0Ain December 2004 > = > and president and chief operating officer in September 2008. =0APrior to > j= > oining Continental, Smisek was a partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP, =0Awhere > h= > e specialized in corporate finance and securities =0Alaw.=0ASmisek > =0Agradu= > ated from Princeton University, A.B. summa cum laude in economics, in > 1976,= > =0Aand Harvard Law School, J.D. magna cum laude, in 1982. He also serves > o= > n the =0Aboard of directors of National Oilwell Varco, Inc. Smisek and his > = > wife reside in =0AHouston and are long-time supporters of numerous > charitab= > le and civic =0Aorganizations.=0ALarry =0AKellner biography=0AKellner > =0Ajo= > ined Continental in 1995 as chief financial officer. In May 2001, he was = > =0Aelected president of the airline and to the Board of Directors, and in > M= > arch =0A2003, he was named president and chief operating officer. He > became= > chairman and =0Achief executive officer in December 2004.=0APrior =0Ato > jo= > ining Continental, Kellner was executive vice president and chief > financial= > =0Aofficer of American Savings Bank, owned by The Robert M. Bass Group. > Pr= > ior to =0Athat, he was executive vice president and chief financial > officer= > of The Koll =0ACompany, a private real estate investment and construction > = > =0Afirm.=0AKellner =0Agraduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science > = > in business administration =0Afrom the University of South Carolina, where > = > he served as Student Body =0APresident. In addition, the University of > Sou= > th Carolina presented him with the =0ADistinguished Alumni Award in 1998. > = > =0AKellner =0Ais active in numerous community and civic organizations. He > c= > urrently serves on =0Athe board of directors for Marriott International > and= > the Air Transport =0AAssociation. On the civic front, he is a member of > th= > e board of directors for =0Athe Methodist Hospital, YMCA of Greater > Houston= > , the Greater Houston =0APartnership, the Spring Branch Education > Foundatio= > n, and Central Houston, Inc., =0Aand is a member of the Boy Scouts of > Ameri= > ca National Executive Board. Kellner =0Aalso serves on the advisory boards > = > of the March of Dimes and Teach for America, =0Aand is on the development > b= > oard of the University of Texas Health Science Center =0Aat Houston. He > res= > ides in Houston with his wife, Susan, and their four =0Achildren. > =0A#= > ## > > <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> > > If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail > to: > "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". 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