American Airlines handout
Doug Parker, who built American Airlines into a towering industry presence through consolidation while leading it through crises and labor disputes, announced on Tuesday that he would step down as the company’s CEO in March.
In the same video announcement, Parker said that Robert Isom, American’s president since 2016, will take over as CEO. Parker will continue in his role as chairman of American’s board.
“I’m confident now is the right time for this transition,” Parker says in the video. “Robert is a collaborative leader with deep operational expertise and global industry experience. His efforts to guide and support our team throughout the pandemic have been nothing short of phenomenal. We are well-positioned to take full advantage of our industry’s recovery, and now is the right time for a handoff we have planned and prepared for.”
Parker took over America West mere days before Sept. 11, 2001 and ended his career as CEO as airlines work to get past the pandemic, which without a $54 billion government support program would have almost certainly been calamitous for the industry.
With his airline in bankruptcy proceedings, Parker, who has been labeled the “godfather of consolidation,” led the merger between American and US Airways in 2013, which created the world’s largest airline by traffic. Parker had done the same with the consolidation of America West, which he led as CEO, and US Airways in 2005.
Parker has said that the mergers have stabilized the industry for both customers and companies.
“The board views succession planning as one of our most important mandates, and today’s announcement represents the culmination of a thoughtful and well-crafted succession planning process,” Lead Independent Director John Cahill says. “Robert is an excellent team builder who has worked to bring people together throughout his career. He is the right leader to carry American forward.”
Isom, who as Executive Vice President and COO of US Airways took over the operation the new airline created in the 2005 merger, also played a pivotal role in integrating US Airways and American. At American, he was named executive vice president and COO.
Isom was named president in 2016, at which point he became Parker’s heir apparent. He brings more than 30 years of global industry and leadership experience across finance, operations, planning, marketing, sales, alliances, pricing, and revenue management.
Prior to joining US Airways, Isom held senior executive operations, finance and commercial roles at GMAC, Northwest Airlines, and America West Airlines. He started his career at The Procter & Gamble Company. Isom earned a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and a bachelor’s in English from the University of Notre Dame, as well as an MBA from University of Michigan.
“Over the past several years, our airline and our industry have gone through a period of transformative change,” Isom says in a statement. “And with change comes opportunity. Today, our more than 130,000 dedicated team members fly more people than any other U.S. airline on the youngest fleet of all the network carriers, and we are positioned to continue to lead the industry as travel rebounds.”
Parker’s career began at American in 1986 as an MBA recruit who started in the airline's finance department. He left there in 1991 for Northwest Airlines, where he rose to vice president, and then to America West.
He has a bachelor’s from Albion College in Michigan and an MBA from Vanderbilt.
“I want to thank Doug for his partnership over the past two decades,” says Isom. “He is a leader and teacher who inspires all around him and leaves an incredible legacy at American and in our industry.”