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Iherbert D. Kelleher



Iherbert D. Kelleher

Iherbert D. Kelleher
IHERBERT D. KELLEHER
Air Transport Executive and Airline Visionary
Herb Kelleher was born on March 12, 1931, in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. He obtained his BA with honors from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and his LLB (Bachelor of Law) from New York University.

Kelleher co-founded Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, beginning with a route diagram scribbled on a cocktail napkin, in June 1971. Southwest took to the Texas skies with three airplanes and quickly became the unconventional low-fare airline that would reinvent air travel and successfully complete with ground transportation. In 1973, Southwest made its first profit, and went on to become the only American air carrier to be profitable on an annual basis.

As Chairman of Southwest Airlines (1978) and as President and CEO (1982), Kelleher transformed the air carrier with only 27 aircraft and 2,100 employees that flew to 14 cities and generated $270 million in revenues into a $5.7 billion airline with more than 300 aircraft and 30,000 employees flying to 57 cities. Kelleher has received more than one hundred business awards and honors recognizing his unorthodox vision to achieving the airline's stunning success.

Kelleher revolutionized the air carrier industry through innovative management and empowered employees with a strong dedication to customer satisfaction.
Elected to the International Aerospace Hall of Fame 2002