Longtime Delta Air Lines executive Joanne Smith will retire from her position as chief people officer, the company announced Wednesday.
With Smith retiring at the end of this year, the 66-year-old will be succeeded in the top human resources role by Allison Ausband, 61, who is currently Delta’s chief customer experience officer.
During her 22 years at Delta, Smith has held management roles in in-flight service leading flight attendants, as well as in marketing and human resources. She has played a key role in the airline’s “people-first culture,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a memo to employees.
“In the pandemic, Joanne led our compassionate and people-focused response, developing critical health and wellness initiatives along with the voluntary unpaid leave and early retirement programs that helped keep our people safe and ensure Delta’s survival during our most challenging era,” Bastian wrote in he memo. “And her work positioned us to rapidly scale our workforce in the recovery.”
Ausband has worked for Delta since 1985, when she started as a flight attendant before working her way up to the C-suite. She also held management roles in in-flight service, reservations and customer service.
Source: Delta
Source: Delta
Erik Snell will be promoted to chief customer experience officer from his position of senior vice president of airport customer service, cargo operations, ground support equipment and global clean. He has worked for Delta since 2005.
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