Winner
Transportation/Logistics
Airline pilots know their destination and the potential challenges they may face during the flight from weather and the real possibility that something might occur that they didn’t plan for.
But expected or not, a good pilot is ready for anything before the plane hits the runway for takeoff. Bryan Bedford takes the same pragmatic approach in running Republic Airways.
Bedford, Republic’s chairman, president and CEO, thinks about the customers who are flying today and the experiences they are having. But his mind never strays too far from the future and about what customers in the future will be seeking.
His company operates more than 290 aircraft with more than 1,600 daily flights, including the largest fleet of Embraer’s new E-Jet family of aircraft. These planes serve to blur the line between regional and mainline aircraft as the cabin space and operational characteristics are often very similar.
In 2009, Bedford was proactive in purchasing two well-established brands, Frontier and Midwest Airlines. He is now working to mesh these strong brands with his own expertise of providing safe, reliable and low-cost service to customers.
Bedford obviously can’t be everywhere all the time and thus relies on his employees to serve as ambassadors for the Republic Airways culture to ensure that all who come in contact with his company have a great experience.
When employees go above and beyond to provide such great service, they are recognized for it in hopes of showing others the fruits of their labor. Those are principles that the company was founded on from its earliest days and standards that Bedford believes in wholeheartedly and seeks to instill in every new employee he hires.
Bedford appreciates hard work on the job, but he also wants his employees to answer the call that they feel to help others and look for ways to give back to their communities.
How to reach: Republic Airways, (317) 484-6000 or www.rjet.com
