Capt. Lee Moak Elected ALPA President

The Board of Directors of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), elected a new slate of leaders on Thursday. The team will guide the pilots' union over the next four years. The elections took place during ALPA’s 43rd regular biennial Board meeting, during which all of the union’s representatives met to deliberate on union matters and chart a course for the Association’s future.

Capt. Lee Moak, a Delta Air Lines captain, was elected to serve as the union’s ninth President. Capt. Moak, who joined ALPA in 1988, currently flies as a B-767 300 ER captain. A 22-year veteran of Delta Air Lines, he is currently serving his third term as the chairman of the Delta Master Executive Council (MEC), which represents the more than 12,000 pilots of Delta Air Lines.

“Our union has faced many challenges throughout its long history,” said Capt. Moak. “Our successes have been most evident when we have worked together for the common good. I look forward to working with the many talented ALPA pilots and union staff as we proactively engage with each and every party that has the potential to influence the careers and professional lives of the pilots we represent.

Capt. Lee Moak Photo Courtesy ALPA

Prior to becoming an airline pilot, Capt. Moak served nine years as a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot. After joining Delta Air Lines, Capt. Moak transitioned to the Naval Air Reserve Force to finish his military career as a U.S. Navy fighter pilot.

The ALPA Board also elected Capt. Sean Cassidy, an Alaska Airlines pilot, as ALPA’s First Vice-President. A former military pilot, Capt. Cassidy was a naval aviator for 10 years and continued flying in the Naval Reserves for 3 additional years. An ALPA member since 1996, Capt. Cassidy currently serves as Master Executive Council chairman of the Alaska Airlines pilot group and is a B-737 captain based in Seattle, WA. “The airline industry is becoming more global, and issues outside our borders can affect pilots here in North America,” said Capt. Cassidy. “ALPA’s strength comes from identifying the values we have in common as pilots around the globe, and working together as we face the challenges ahead.”

Capt. Bill Couette was reelected for a second term as Vice-President—Administration for the union. A 22-year American Eagle pilot, Capt. Couette flies the Embraer ERJ-145 and is based in Chicago. During his first term, Capt. Couette refined ALPA’s membership services and focused on leveraging technology to allow members to more fully participate in the union. He also was the ALPA national officer who oversaw ALPA’s Merger Policy Review Committee and led the union in forging a new policy to help pilots transition more efficiently through mergers. “I’ve spent most of my career helping pilots at many different levels of our union,” said Capt. Couette. “Assisting them is where I get my greatest reward, as we work together toward the shared goal of advancing the airline piloting profession.”

ALPA’s Board of Directors also reelected Capt. W. Randolph Helling as Vice-President–Secretary/Treasurer. Currently a Delta Air Lines A320 captain, Capt. Helling flew for Northwest Airlines for 22 years (prior to the Delta-Northwest merger in October 2008). During his first term, Capt. Helling worked with ALPA’s national officer team to stabilize the Association’s finances in the wake of a decade of financial turmoil in the airline industry. “While the past decade has been challenging, I am enthusiastic about ALPA and our members’ dedication to enhancing and protecting the airline piloting profession,” Helling said.

ALPA’s Board also elected a new roster of 10 Executive Vice-Presidents, who, along with the four national officers, make up ALPA’s Executive Council. The Executive Council oversees fiscal and budgetary matters for the union and participates in policy decisions.

The new Executive Vice-Presidents are: Capt. Larry Beck (Continental Airlines), Capt. Bill Bartels (Delta Air Lines), Capt. Joe Fagone (FedEx Express), Capt. Mike Hamilton (United Airlines), Capt. Tom Maxwell (American Eagle), Capt. Bill Patterson (Air Wisconsin), Capt. Todd Ortscheid (AirTran), Capt. Mark Segaloff (Colgan) and Capt. Dan Adamus (Jazz Air).

All of ALPA’s national officers and executive vice-presidents will begin their new terms on January 1, 2011.

FMI: www.alpa.org