Jennifer Vogel brings over 30 years of leadership experience as both a corporate executive and serving on public boards to our board of directors. She is the former senior vice president, general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer of Continental Airlines, Inc. At Continental, Vogel played key roles in rebuilding the airline’s business, helping it to achieve substantial global expansion, and significantly restructure and rebuild after 9/11. She also played a critical role in the merger of Continental Airlines with United Airlines, creating the world’s largest airline in less than five months.
Vogel has extensive board and committee experience. Her current roles include the Telluride Regional Airport Authority Board, the AAR Corp. board and the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund. Recognitions include “Most Influential Corporate Board Directors” by Women’s Inc. and “Most Powerful and Influential Women in Texas” by the Texas Diversity Council and Texas Diversity Magazine.
Vogel earned her BBA from the University of Iowa and her JD from the University of Texas.
Jude Bricker has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Sun Country Airlines since July 2017. Sun Country has led the US airline industry in profit margin through the pandemic and is now also the fastest growing public mainline carrier.
Bricker has 18 years of experience in the aviation industry. Prior to joining Sun Country, from 2006 to 2017, he held various leadership roles at Allegiant Travel Company and Allegiant Air, including Chief Operating Officer of Allegiant Travel Company and President of Allegiant Air. As Chief Operating Officer of Allegiant Travel Company, Bricker was the senior executive responsible for marketing, network, operations, treasury, fleet, scheduling, pricing, ancillary products, digital, distribution, charters, loyalty and investor relations.
From 2004 to 2006, Bricker was Finance Manager at American Airlines. He was a Captain in the US Marine Corps from 1996 to 2002. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of Texas.
Dave Davis has served as our Chief Financial Officer since April 2018 and as our President since December 2019. From July 2014 to February 2017, Mr. Davis served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors, and from November 2012 to June 2014, served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, of Global Eagle Entertainment, Inc., a leading global provider of media content and satellite-based connectivity systems for use in commercial aviation, maritime and remote land-based applications. Prior thereto, Mr. Davis was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Northwest Airlines, Inc., the world’s fourth largest airline prior to its sale to Delta Air Lines in 2008. Additionally, Mr. Davis has held various finance leadership positions at US Airways, Perseus LLC and Budget Group, as well as served on the boards of directors of Globecomm Systems, Inc., Lumexis Corporation and ARINC Corporation. Mr. Davis received a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics degree and an MBA from the University of Minnesota.
Ms. Blakey currently serves as a non-executive director for several corporations and organizations, having retired from Rolls-Royce North America Inc. in 2018 as President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining Rolls-Royce, Blakey served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Aerospace Industries Association for eight years. From 2002 to 2007, Blakey was Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. Prior to 2002, she held several senior positions including Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as ran her own consulting firm focusing on transportation and infrastructure issues. Ms. Blakey has received numerous honorary degrees and awards including the National Aeronautic Association’s 2011 Henderson Trophy, Aviation Week & Space Technology’s 2013 Laureate Award, and the National Aeronautic Association’s 2013 Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, and most recently, the Carol B. Hallett Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the L. Welch Pogue Award from Aviation Week & Space Technology and the International Aviation Club. Blakey’s board experience is vast, and includes recent roles serving on the board of Alaska Airlines Group and NASA’s National Advisory Council. Blakey graduated from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia before continuing graduate work at Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies.
Kerry Philipovitch has been a member of our board of directors since December 2020. Ms. Philipovitch also serves on the boards of Avianca Airlines, hospitality wine management company Intervine, and technology start-up OptIn. She served in aviation management roles for 23 years, most recently as Senior Vice President—Customer Experience for American Airlines. She oversaw airline operations impacting critical measures of customer value, including worldwide airport customer service, ramp, and baggage operations; onboard flight service and catering; global call centers; cargo; customer planning; and service recovery. In addition to her operating responsibilities, Ms. Philipovitch worked with the NAACP and other important community partners to develop an inclusion and diversity strategy for the airline, and frequently served as a subject matter expert in educating government officials on important industry issues. Ms. Philipovitch was selected as an honoree for the Dallas Business Journal’s 2019 Women in Business Awards, an award that recognizes business leaders for impressive professional achievements and proven track record. Profiles in Diversity Journal named her as a Woman Worth Watching, and the Phoenix Business Journal selected her as one of the most influential business leaders in the Phoenix area. She has offered expert testimony in two congressional hearings. Passionate about inspiring female leaders, she frequently speaks to groups, offering advice on how to deliver results and advance their careers. Ms. Philipovitch graduated with a bachelor of arts in economics from Tulane University and received her master of business administration from the University of Michigan.
Gail Peterson is a seasoned marketing and business executive who brings a unique blend of strategic leadership, operational pragmatism and purpose driven marketing to companies. She currently serves as the executive vice president of Global Marketing and Communications at Ecolab, Inc. overseeing the company’s global brand, global communications, market research, sustainability and water partnership teams. Peterson previously served as vice president of marketing for Ecolab’s Global Healthcare business. Prior to joining Ecolab in 2016, Peterson spent 15 years as a marketing executive at General Mills, Inc. where she helped grow several key brands and strategic initiatives.
Peterson is also known as a champion for diversity and a leader in Minnesota. She currently serves on the board of the Minnesota Children’s Museum and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. She’s a member of the Executive Leadership Council, Black Executive CMO Alliance, African American Leader Council, Ecolab’s DE&I Executive Council and was a founding member of Ecolab’s Black Leaders Forum. Peterson has been named to Savoy’s “Top 100 Black Executives” list and Women’s Inc.’s “Most Influential Women in Business”.
Peterson earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Princeton University and her MBA from Harvard Business School.