ITEM 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
(b) Departure of Director or Certain Officers
On February 17, 2021, Gary L. Beck, announced his intention to retire from his positions as executive vice president and chief operating officer (“COO”) of Alaska Airlines, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, Inc. (the “Company”), and as a member of the Company’s management executive committee effective April 3, 2021. Mr. Beck will remain employed through February 12, 2022 as Special Advisor to Benito “Ben” Minicucci, whom the Company announced will become the CEO of the Company and Alaska Airlines on March 31, 2021.. Mr. Beck has served as a pilot and in numerous executive capacities in the airline industry over 47 years and has been in his current position at Alaska Airlines since 2019.
(c) Appointment of Certain Officers and Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
On March 18, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors elected Ms. Constance von Muehlen to succeed Mr. Beck as executive vice president and COO of Alaska Airlines effective April 3, 2021. As the Company’s principal operating officer, Ms. von Muehlen will serve on the management executive committee. A copy of the press release announcing this election is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference.
Ms. von Muehlen, age 53, has served as Alaska Airlines’ senior vice president of maintenance and engineering since January 2019. In 2018, she served as chief operating officer at Horizon Air Industries, Inc. Ms. von Muehlen also previously served as Alaska Airlines’ managing director of airframe, engine and component maintenance (2012-2017). Before joining Alaska Airlines in 2011, she spent 20 years in aviation maintenance leadership roles at Pratt and Whitney and Air Canada. She also served tours of duty as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot in Germany, Iraq, Turkey and South Korea as a captain in the U.S. Army.
There are no arrangements or understandings between Ms. von Muehlen and any other person pursuant to which she was appointed to serve as executive vice president and COO. There are no family relationships between Ms. von Muehlen and any director or executive officer of the Company, and she has no direct or indirect material interest in any “related party” transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Compensation Arrangement with Ms. von Muehlen
On March 17, 2021, in connection with Ms. von Muehlen’s election as executive vice president and COO, the compensation and leadership development committee (“Committee”) of the Company’s board of directors approved an increase in her annual base salary from $300,000 to $400,000 and in her target annual cash incentive opportunity from 65% of base salary to 85% of base salary.
The Committee also approved and granted Ms. von Muehlen a long-term incentive award under the Company’s 2016 Performance Incentive Plan at a target value of $1 million (as opposed to the target equity value of 100% of her base salary for the equity award she was granted in February 2020). One-half of the award is made up of performance stock units (“PSUs”), 25% is in the form of restricted stock units (“RSUs”), and 25% is in the form of incentive stock options. The RSUs cliff vest on the third anniversary of the grant, the PSUs vest based on the results of goals set for a three-year performance period, and the options vest at the rate of 25% per year over a four-year term.
Ms. von Muehlen may not realize the full value of her COO compensation package during any period in which executive compensation limitations under the CARES Act apply. The Company will continue to monitor and administer its executive compensation program in accordance with CARES Act requirements.