Tom O'Grady

Tom O’Grady oversees compliance with laws, regulations and policies covering all aspects of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, including planning, operations, finance and human resources, among other areas. He previously served as staff vice president of commercial and regulatory law.

Snapshot

Hometown:   Whitinsville, Mass. First job as a kid: Grocery store clerk                  Favorite film: Monty Python’s “In Search of the Holy Grail” Favorite vacation spots: Hawaii, Caribbean Islands, Southern California coast, Ireland Favorite food: Steak Personal sports blooper: Tripped and fell while leading my high school basketball team onto the court for the league championship game Least favorite household chore: All Hobbies: Golf, guitar, running Favorite books: “Trinity” by Leon Uris; “Sometimes a Great Notion” by Ken Kesey; “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry Music preference: Blues, ’50s doo wop

A lawyer by trade, O’Grady left private practice and joined Alaska in 1987 as an attorney to handle employment law cases and arbitration. He has held a series of positions with the company, including senior attorney, associate general counsel, assistant vice president of labor and employment law, and staff vice president of labor and employment law.

O’Grady completed his undergraduate work at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass. After college, he founded and operated community service programs for crisis intervention and teen counseling. He later worked for the federal government in Washington, D.C., and then came to Seattle, where he completed his law degree at Seattle University.