Gordon Bethune
| Gordon Bethune | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 29, 1941 San Antonio, Texas |
| Alma mater |
Abilene Christian University, (B.S.) Harvard Business School, (Adv. Mgt.) |
| Occupation | Chief Executive Officer, Continental Airlines(1994-2004) Vice President, Boeing, (1988-1994) Vice President, Braniff, (1978-1982) Sr. Vice President, Piedmont Airlines, (1984-1988) |
Gordon M. Bethune (born August 29, 1941) is a retired US airline executive. He was the CEO of Continental Airlines from 1994 until his retirement at the end of 2004. He currently serves on the boards of Honeywell, Sprint, Prudential Financial.
Bethune holds a commercial pilot certificate with type ratings in the Douglas DC-3, Boeing 757, and Boeing 767. Bethune was known for ensuring that he received some time as pilot when taking delivery of a new Continental Airlines Boeing 767 from Boeing and repositioning it from Seattle to Houston. He also is a licensed Airframe and Power plant (A&P) mechanic.
Bethune was born in San Antonio, Texas to Pearl Elley and Jack Bethune, who was serving in the U.S. Army at that time. Bethune grew up in Austin, Texas and spent summers with his father, who owned an aerial crop dusting company, in Hernando, Mississippi. Bethune joined the U.S. Navy in 1958 at age 17, becoming an aviation electronics technician. In January 1960, he was serving in Heavy Attack Squadron 11 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. He rose to the rank of chief petty officer, chief warrant officer, and over time received his commission as a Lieutenant. While in the Navy, Bethune married and fathered three sons, Xavier, Michael and Grady. In 1978, he retired with twin bars of a full lieutenant. His last duty station was with Patrol Squadron Nineteen (Big Red) stationed at Moffett Field, CA.
...
Wikipedia