DALLAS — Southwest Airlines CEO James F. "Jim" Parker died unexpectedly Saturday night, according to a memo current CEO Gary Kelly sent to the Southwest Airlines Board Sunday morning.
A former attorney and assistant Attorney General of Texas, Parker joined the airline in 1986. He served as general counsel and vice president before succeeding the late Herb Kelleher as CEO in 2001. He retired from Southwest in 2004.
Parker is credited for his exemplar leadership of the company immediately following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
"Under Jim’s Leadership, Southwest successfully navigated through this dark time, preserving the job security of our People while remaining profitable under the most unlikely of odds," Kelly wrote in the memo.
The Southwest flag will be flying at half-staff this week to honor Parker, Kelly wrote.
The news of Parker's death comes just after Southwest employees said goodbye to co-founder Herb Kelleher, who died Jan. 3 at the age of 87.
"This has been an incredibly sad month for our entire Southwest Family, as we’ve lost two of our fearless Leaders," Kelly wrote. "Herb and Jim were close partners and friends for more than 50 years, and we will honor their legacies by carrying the torch for the next half century and beyond.
"Jim was a beloved member of our Southwest Family, and we will miss him dearly. Rest in peace, Jim."