Full Name
Bob Jordan
Job Title
President, Chief Executive Officer, & Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
Company
Southwest Airlines
Speaker Bio
Bob Jordan serves as President, Chief Executive Officer, & Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Southwest Airlines. Bob is a 36-year Southwest® veteran, who began his career as a programmer in Technology. Since that time, Bob has held 15 different positions at Southwest, including leadership roles in Finance, Planning, Procurement, Fuel, Facilities, Technology, Corporate Strategy, and has served Southwest’s Chief Commercial Officer.
During his tenure at Southwest, the airline has grown from a regional presence with around 7,000 People and 90 airplanes to a beloved national brand with more than 75,000 People and more than 137 million Customers carried in 2023. Bob has been responsible for the delivery of many key Company initiatives, including the implementation of Southwest’s current ordinal boarding process, spearheading the significant upgrade, modernization, and re-platforming of Southwest’s e-commerce platform, revamping the Rapid Rewards® loyalty program, leading the comprehensive "Heart" brand refresh, and implementing a new reservations system that was favorably received by Customers. Bob was also instrumental in leading the introduction of many of Southwest’s current significant ancillaries, such as EarlyBird Check-In®, Business Select®, and Upgraded Boarding, which had instant value creation.
Bob also played a critical role in Southwest’s acquisition of AirTran Airways, and served as President of AirTran during the integration, a strategic move that expanded Southwest’s significant domestic and international network. He led the creation of the Company’s first commercial organization, which brought together Marketing, Network Planning, and Revenue Management for the first time in Southwest’s history.
Directly prior to assuming the CEO role in February 2022, Bob served as Southwest Airlines' Executive Vice President of Corporate Services, where he oversaw Companywide hiring, personal and professional training and development opportunities for every Southwest Employee, fostering Southwest’s renowned Culture through a period of intense growth and change, and all internal and external communication. During the global pandemic, Bob led Company efforts around voluntary retirement and leave programs that were critical to avoiding pay cuts, layoffs, and furloughs—maintaining Southwest's record of never having a single layoff in the airline's history. Bob is a passionate advocate of "The Southwest Way," which refers to the Company's core values and People-centric Culture.
Today, as CEO, Bob is leading the implementation of the “Southwest. Even Better.” transformational plan, designed to meet evolving Customer preferences with more choices and greater comfort and deliver increased revenue opportunities. This includes assigned and premium seating, an updated boarding process, the continuation of two free checked bags for all Customers, enhancements to the airline’s Rapid Rewards program, redeye flying routes, global airline partnerships, and a new vacations product, Getaways by Southwest.
Bob is a proud former student of Texas A&M University, having earned both an undergraduate degree in computer science and a master's degree in business administration. Bob has served the university in several capacities, including the Mays Business School Dean's Advisory Board, and served as Chair of the Board of the Association of Former Students. He is the recipient of the Texas A&M University Computer Science Distinguished Former Student Award, the Mays Business School Outstanding Alumni Award, and the College of Engineering's Outstanding Alumni Award.
Beyond Southwest, Bob is a member of the board of Airlines for America, the airline industry advocacy group. He serves on the board of directors for ShiftKey and is a member of the board of trustees of the Southwestern Medical Foundation and Airlink Governors Council. Bob and his wife, Kelly, are members of the Texas A&M University Legacy Society and are active in charitable organizations, including Cross Timbers Community Church, Compassion International, SOS International, and the Metropolitan Opera. They have two grown children and two grandsons.
During his tenure at Southwest, the airline has grown from a regional presence with around 7,000 People and 90 airplanes to a beloved national brand with more than 75,000 People and more than 137 million Customers carried in 2023. Bob has been responsible for the delivery of many key Company initiatives, including the implementation of Southwest’s current ordinal boarding process, spearheading the significant upgrade, modernization, and re-platforming of Southwest’s e-commerce platform, revamping the Rapid Rewards® loyalty program, leading the comprehensive "Heart" brand refresh, and implementing a new reservations system that was favorably received by Customers. Bob was also instrumental in leading the introduction of many of Southwest’s current significant ancillaries, such as EarlyBird Check-In®, Business Select®, and Upgraded Boarding, which had instant value creation.
Bob also played a critical role in Southwest’s acquisition of AirTran Airways, and served as President of AirTran during the integration, a strategic move that expanded Southwest’s significant domestic and international network. He led the creation of the Company’s first commercial organization, which brought together Marketing, Network Planning, and Revenue Management for the first time in Southwest’s history.
Directly prior to assuming the CEO role in February 2022, Bob served as Southwest Airlines' Executive Vice President of Corporate Services, where he oversaw Companywide hiring, personal and professional training and development opportunities for every Southwest Employee, fostering Southwest’s renowned Culture through a period of intense growth and change, and all internal and external communication. During the global pandemic, Bob led Company efforts around voluntary retirement and leave programs that were critical to avoiding pay cuts, layoffs, and furloughs—maintaining Southwest's record of never having a single layoff in the airline's history. Bob is a passionate advocate of "The Southwest Way," which refers to the Company's core values and People-centric Culture.
Today, as CEO, Bob is leading the implementation of the “Southwest. Even Better.” transformational plan, designed to meet evolving Customer preferences with more choices and greater comfort and deliver increased revenue opportunities. This includes assigned and premium seating, an updated boarding process, the continuation of two free checked bags for all Customers, enhancements to the airline’s Rapid Rewards program, redeye flying routes, global airline partnerships, and a new vacations product, Getaways by Southwest.
Bob is a proud former student of Texas A&M University, having earned both an undergraduate degree in computer science and a master's degree in business administration. Bob has served the university in several capacities, including the Mays Business School Dean's Advisory Board, and served as Chair of the Board of the Association of Former Students. He is the recipient of the Texas A&M University Computer Science Distinguished Former Student Award, the Mays Business School Outstanding Alumni Award, and the College of Engineering's Outstanding Alumni Award.
Beyond Southwest, Bob is a member of the board of Airlines for America, the airline industry advocacy group. He serves on the board of directors for ShiftKey and is a member of the board of trustees of the Southwestern Medical Foundation and Airlink Governors Council. Bob and his wife, Kelly, are members of the Texas A&M University Legacy Society and are active in charitable organizations, including Cross Timbers Community Church, Compassion International, SOS International, and the Metropolitan Opera. They have two grown children and two grandsons.
