Alaska Airlines Executive Leadership
Updated February 2012
William S. Ayer - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bradley D. Tilden - President and Chief Executive Officer-elect
Brandon Pedersen - Chief Financial Officer
Ben Minicucci - Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Operations
William S. Ayer
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Alaska Airlines and Alaska Air Group
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Bill Ayer is chairman and chief executive officer of Alaska Airlines and Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air. Ayer will step down as CEO and continue to serve as chairman of the board effective May 15, 2012. Brad Tilden will replace him as CEO of Alaska Air Group, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air at that time.
At Alaska Airlines, Ayer, 57, leads the nation's seventh-largest airline, with 9,600 employees, 60 destinations and 117 aircraft. Ayer also oversees regional carrier Horizon Air and its 3,200 employees and 48 aircraft, which serve 39 cities across California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Canada and Mexico.
A veteran of more than three decades in aviation, Ayer began his career with Alaska in 1995 as vice president of marketing and planning. Since then, he has held the posts of senior vice president of customer service, marketing and planning; president; and chief operating officer. In 2002, he became the carrier's chief executive officer, and, in May 2003, he was appointed chairman.
Prior to his tenure with Alaska, Ayer spent 13 years at Horizon Air, where he held a variety of marketing and operations positions of increasing responsibility. Immediately prior to joining Alaska, he was Horizon's senior vice president of operations.
Before joining Horizon, Ayer founded and was president of Air Olympia, a commuter airline serving Washington state. He also served as a regional manager for Piper Aircraft Co.
Ayer is a member of the board of directors of Puget Energy, the Museum of Flight and Angel Flight West. He also serves on the University of Washington's Board of Regents and on the UW Business School Advisory Board. He will also participate as a member of the NextGen Advisory Committe, a panel of aviation industry leaders who are working with the FAA to modernize the nation's air traffic control system and improve airport and airspace efficiency.
A graduate of Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in economics, 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.
A resident of Bellevue, Wash., Ayer is married and has one child. He uses his private pilot skills to fly Angel Flight West patients to their medical treatments.
Bradley D. Tilden
President, Alaska Airlines
Chief Executive Officer-elect
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Brad Tilden was elected chief executive officer of Alaska Air Group, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air effective May 15, 2012. 
As president, Tilden oversees Alaska Airlines' operating divisions, as well as Marketing, Cargo, Planning and Revenue Management.
Previously, Tilden served as Alaska Air Group's chief financial officer and executive vice president of finance, leading the Finance, Information Technology, Planning, Revenue Management and Corporate Real Estate organizations.
Before joining Alaska in 1991, he spent eight years with the accounting firm Price Waterhouse at its offices in Seattle and Melbourne, Australia.
Tilden earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Pacific Lutheran University and an executive master's degree in business administration from the University of Washington. He also holds a private pilot's license.
Tilden is a director of Flow International Corp. and serves on the boards of Pacific Lutheran University and the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America (where he will serve as council president beginning in March 2012).
A resident of Issaquah, Wash., Tilden is married and has three children. Introduced to aviation early in life, he grew up a few miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where he watched Alaska Airlines' aircraft take off and land. In addition to enjoying time with his family, he is a dedicated cyclist.
Brandon Pedersen
Chief Financial Officer Alaska Air Group
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Brandon Pedersen is responsible for the finance, information technology and strategic planning organizations at Alaska Air Group.
Pedersen previously served as vice president of finance and controller for Alaska Air Group, with responsibility for accounting, payroll, tax, financial reporting and investor relations.
He came to Alaska Airlines in 2003 as staff vice president from the Seattle office of KPMG, one of the nation's largest public accounting firms. He was a partner at KPMG, as well as at the Seattle office of Arthur Andersen. Pedersen began his professional career with Andersen as a staff accountant. During a 12-year period there, he rose to partner and handled a diverse range of clients and projects.
Pedersen is a graduate of the University of Washington, with bachelor's degrees in business administration and economics. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the Accounting Advisory Board of the University of Washington. He also serves on the board of the American Red Cross of King and Kitsap Counties.
Ben Minicucci
Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Operations Alaska Airlines
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Ben Minicucci is responsible for Flight Operations, System Operations Control, Maintenance & Engineering and Customer Service – Airports.
Previously, he served as the airline's vice president of Seattle operations, leading the Customer Service – Airports Division's vendor oversight program, as well as staff planning, training, policies and procedures. Before that, Minicucci was staff vice president of maintenance and engineering.
Minicucci came to Alaska Airlines from Air Canada, following 14 years with the Canadian Armed Forces, where he managed all aspects of military aircraft maintenance and participated in several key deployments, including the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
Minicucci's first job with Air Canada involved coaching management teams on progressive leadership styles. He was later promoted to vice president of heavy maintenance and base manager of operations in Montreal, Calgary, Winnipeg and Vancouver, Canada.
He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada.
Vice Presidents
Appointed Officers
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Wendy Jones - Chief Risk, Compliance & Ethics Officer
