- Howard Putnam is the former CEO of the highly successful Southwest Airlines.
- Howard later was recruited to be the CEO of financially failing Braniff International, order & was the 1st CEO to restructure a major airline into, through & out of bankruptcy.
- Earlier in his career he spent 20 years with United Airlines, his final position being Group Vice President of Marketing.
- HarperCollins published his book, “The Winds of Turbulence.”
- Howard grew up and learned to fly on an Iowa farm and began his airline career as a baggage handler in Chicago. He has an MBA in Marketing from the Univ. of Chicago and attended Harvard’s Advanced Management Program. Howard was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame by the National Speakers Association in 2005. He is also accredited as a Certified Speaking Professional. Howard and his wife Krista live near Reno and Lake Tahoe. Their son Mike is an airline captain. Their daughter Sue is in PR & Marketing. Please welcome Howard Putnam. (Updated May 2008)