JetBlue Airways has recruited its former financial specialist John Harvey as vice-president corporate finance and treasurer.
Harvey rejoins jetBlue after serving as senior vice-president at SkyWorks Capital for fewer than six months. JetBlue is a client of SkyWorks. Harvey only joined the financial consultancy, which specialises in commercial aviation, in August 2003. He previously held the position of vice-president treasurer with jetBlue from 1999 until 2003.
"John was a valuable member of the start-up team with jetBlue in 1999," said David Neeleman, jetBlue's chairman and chief executive. During his previous four years with the carrier, Harvey was a key player on the company's initial public offering team. He is also credited with financing over $1 billion in aircraft orders and creating jetBlue's fuel hedging programme.
Before arriving at jetBlue, Harvey had "nine years of progressive airline experience from both Southwest Airlines and America West Airlines," says the carrier.
In an internal move, jetBlue has promoted Captain Mike Barger from director tovice-president of jetBlue University. This body, which was created two years ago, is responsible for the orientation and training of all employees at jetBlue Airways.
According to the airline, under his leadership, jetBlue University has "developed a number of innovative programmes that leverage today's technology to continuously and cost-effectively distribute learning across the organisation".
Barger joined jetBlue as part of the company's original start-up team in 1999. He was instrumental in the testing phase and final selection of jetBlue's launch aircraft, the Airbus A320, as well as piloting jetBlue's first aircraft delivery from Toulouse, France, to New York JFK airport.
The carrier has gone outside the aviation world to recruit Todd Thompson as vice-president, information technology. Thompson joins jetBlue from sbi.razorfish, where he served as the director of the company's western consulting practice. Before sbi.razorfish, he led the Utah business consulting practice at Arthur Andersen Business Consulting.
MARK PILLING LONDON
Source: Airline Business
