Bruce R. Kennedy

Bruce R. Kennedy (October 11, 1938 – June 28, 2007) was an American businessman best known for his work as chief executive officer of Alaska Airlines between 1979 and 1991, where he presided over the expansion of the airline. He retired in the early 1990s to do humanitarian work before his death in 2007; he also served as a national leader in his church.

Early life and career

Born in Denver, Colorado, Kennedy moved to Alaska as a teenager and graduated from the University of Alaska in 1963. Following graduation, Kennedy served as an artillery officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Wainwright near Fairbanks, where he met his wife Karleen. He later entered the real estate business before his company acquired Alaska Airlines when it was nearly bankrupt in 1972.