Justin Jones has assumed the role of vice president Tech Ops Planning & Performance. In this role, Jones is responsible for Field Services, Maintenance and Fleet Planning, Maintenance Reliability, Business Intelligence, and Strategic Planning for Technical Operations at Southwest Airlines. Jones most recently served as vice president of Operational Strategy & Performance. He began his Southwest career 17 years ago and has held leadership positions in Revenue Management and Pricing, and he also has experience in Interactive Marketing and Aircraft Operations.
Southwest is promoting Mark Wibben to vice president Engineering and Programs. Wibben will lead the Engineering, Fleet Management, and Maintenance Programs Teams. In this role, Wibben is responsible for the configuration and maintenance program of Southwest’s fleet. In his seven years at Southwest, Wibben has directed the Engineering and Powerplant program teams through a multitude of major initiatives including retirement of the 737-300 (Classics), introduction of the LEAP1B engine on the 737 MAX, and building out the Service Engineering organization to support aircraft heavy maintenance.
Southwest also welcomed Kurt Kinder as the airline’s vice president Maintenance Operations. Southwest says Kinder will be focused on the daily operation and frontline teams, including Aircraft Maintenance, Aircraft Appearance, Material Stores, and Maintenance Operations Control. Kinder joins Southwest from Alaska Airlines, where he most recently served as vice president of Maintenance and Engineering. In his role at Alaska, Kinder led approximately 1,000 Employees and oversaw the safety, compliance, and operational performance of Alaska’s fleet of Boeing 737s.