American Airlines parent announces post-merger directors, management

By Caroline Salls

Pittsburgh, June 10 - AMR Corp. announced the members of the board of directors of combined company American Airlines Group Inc., effective after the closing of the expected merger and US Airways Group.

According to an AMR news release, the board will be comprised of 12 members.

AMR chairman, president and chief executive officer Thomas Horton will serve as chairman of the combined airline's board through its first annual meeting of shareholders. Doug Parker, chairman and CEO of US Airways Group, will serve as CEO and a member of the board and will assume the position of chairman following Horton's service.

In addition to Horton and Parker, the members of the board will include lead independent director John T. Cahill, as well as James F. Albaugh, Jeffrey D. Benjamin, Michael J. Embler, Matthew J. Hart, Alberto Ibarguen, Richard C. Kraemer, Denise M. O'Leary, Ray M. Robinson and Richard P. Schifter.

The company said the selection process for the board of the new American Airlines was established under the merger agreement.

In addition to the continuing directors selected by each of the two companies, an eight-member search committee designated by representatives of AMR's official committee of unsecured creditors and an informal committee of AMR creditors selected five new directors, including the lead independent director.

Leadership team

According to a separate news release, the senior leadership team responsible for guiding the new American Airlines after the merger was also selected.

The senior leadership team includes the following:

• Scott Kirby, president. His responsibilities include planning, marketing, sales, alliances, pricing/yield management and operations;

• Elise Eberwein, executive vice president, people and communications. She will be responsible for human resources, media relations, internal communications, social media and public affairs;

• Beverly Goulet, chief integration officer. She will lead the integration process of merging American Airlines and US Airways into one airline;

• Robert Isom, chief operating officer and CEO of US Airways, Inc. post-close. He will be responsible for all aspects of airline operations;

• Stephen Johnson, executive vice president, corporate affairs. His responsibilities include corporate and legal affairs, government and regulatory affairs, labor relations and real estate;

• Derek Kerr, chief financial officer;

• Maya Leibman, chief information officer; and

• William Ris, senior vice president, government affairs. He will be responsible for all federal and international government and regulatory affairs and public policy.

Kirby, Eberwein, Isom, Johnson and Kerr will join the new American from US Airways; Goulet, Leibman and Ris will join from American.

In addition, the companies said Dan Garton will step down as president and CEO of American Eagle Airlines later this year. A successor will be named before his departure.

AMR Corp., the Fort Worth-based parent of American Airlines, filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 29, 2011 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Its Chapter 11 case number is 11-15463.

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