Bill Ayer

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Alaska Air Group and Alaska Airlines

As head of the nation’s ninth-largest airline, Bill Ayer leads a team of about 10,000 employees and is responsible for more than 110 aircraft operating in 58 cities across North America.

Snapshot

Birthplace: Redwood City, Calif. First job: Yard work (paid 50 cents for two weeks’ work) Favorite books: “Where is Joe Merchant?” by Jimmy Buffett, “Good to Great” by Jim Collins Favorite line from a movie: “With all due respect, sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour.” from “Apollo 13” Least favorite household chore: Washing windows Pet: Golden Retriever named Malibu Personal sports blooper: Completed a race at a swim meet after a false start with poolside spectators and teammates yelling for him to stop Musical instrument: Trombone Volunteer work: Flies Angel Flight America patients to medical treatments Favorite vacation destination: Any mountain airstrip where his airplane can land (and take off again)

A pilot at heart who holds commercial and flight instructor certificates with instrument and multi-engine ratings, Ayer is a veteran of more than 25 years in aviation. 

He learned the ropes as a regional manager for Piper Aircraft Co. He later started Air Olympia, a commuter carrier serving Washington state. As founder, he did it all—loaded bags, collected tickets and flew the plane—in addition to managing the fledgling airline.

Ayer then planted his feet solidly on the ground at Horizon Air, where he held a variety of marketing and operations positions, including senior vice president of operations.

In 1995, Ayer “walked across the street” to big sister Alaska Airlines as vice president of marketing and planning. He has also held the posts of senior vice president of customer service, marketing and planning, president and chief operating officer. In 2002, he became the carrier’s chief executive officer.

Ayer was appointed chairman in May 2003 and has led Alaska Airlines through turbulent times for the U.S. airline industry, enabling Alaska to thrive with successful expansion into markets on the East Coast, Canada and Mexico.

Ayer is a member of the board of directors of the Seattle branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Puget Energy, the Museum of Flight and Angel Flight America West. He also serves on the University of Washington Business School Advisory Board. 

A graduate of Stanford University, where he majored in economics, Ayer also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington, where he is a member of the Business School Advisory Board.

Hardly a spendthrift, Ayer still often drives the same bright orange 1972 Volkswagen Beetle that he did in high school. At last count, the car had 199,652 miles on it.