Jeff Smisek: United Airlines CEO

Jeff Smisek was born in 1954. Early on Jeff already belonged at the top of the heap graduating with A.B. summa cum laude in economics from the prestigious Princeton University in 1976. He did just as well at Harvard Law School finishing with a J.D. magna cum laude in 1982.

Jeff became a partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP. While working there he specialized in corporate finance and securities law. Then he took a major career change joining the airline industry in March 1995 as senior vice president and general counsel for Continental Airlines. He then began to take on various positions of increasing responsibility.

Jeff was promoted to president in December 2004 and also became a board member.  He became president and chief operating officer in September 2008. In this role he was responsible for airline operations, inflights, airports, catering, cargo, maintenance, and technical operations, and also human resources and labor relationships, global real estate, among other functions.

On January 1, 2010 he became the chairman and chief executive officer of Continental Airlines. There was also a merger with United Airlines in the same year. Jeff eventually became the chairman, president and chief executive officer of the merged companies United Airlines which is owned by United Continental Holdings. He leads United and its United Express regional partner airlines which operate almost 5,500 flights a day to more than 370 airports in six continents.

The airline industry has experienced some very tough times and United has had its share of problems. Jeff who was named Aviation Week’s Person of the Year in 2010 has been busy trying to address the problems.

Jeff serves on the board of directors for National Oilwell Varco, Inc. He is on the Baker Institute Board of Advisers and the Board of Trustees of Rice University as well. Jeff is also vice chairman of the Board of Airlines for America.