Brian K. Hirshman Appointed Staff Vice President/Maintenance.

Business/Travel Editors

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 2000

Alaska Airlines has announced the appointment of Brian K. Hirshman to staff vice president/maintenance within the maintenance and engineering division. Hirshman, 32, is currently senior operations manager, DC-10 hangar operations for Northwest Airlines in Minneapolis.

In his new position, Hirshman will have oversight and responsibility for all of Alaska Airlines maintenance. This will include base maintenance, vendor maintenance, line maintenance, and maintenance control and technical services. He will oversee the activities of over 800 employees.

"We are extremely fortunate to have someone with Brian's skills joining our team," said Bill Weaver, vice president/maintenance and engineering. "He not only has an excellent background in the technical side of maintenance, he also possesses strong inter-personal skills and business acumen along with solid experience in planning and scheduling."

Hirshman graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a bachelor of science degree in aviation technology/maintenance and avionics and immediately went to work for Northwest as a line maintenance mechanic working on Boeing 747-200, -200F and -400 aircraft. He was promoted numerous times over the next several years reaching his current position in 1998.

In his current position Hirshman is responsible for directing all DC-10 heavy maintenance activities and supervises over 350 mechanics and 14 managers. He leads operational decision making and strategic planning and is responsible for the development and implementation of large scale process improvements and project management initiatives.

In 1997, Hirshman received a master's degree in business administration with an emphasis in operations management from Baruch College of the City University of New York.

Hirshman will join Alaska Airlines on June 26.