Alaska Air Group welcomes Ryan Sather as new vice president of safety and security
SEATTLE, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alaska Air Group board of directors has elected Ryan Sather as vice president of safety and security for Alaska Air Group and Alaska Airlines, where he will lead safety and security functions across the company's airline operations. The transition reinforces the company's unwavering commitment to the safety of its employees and guests.
Safety is the foundational value at Alaska, Hawaiian, Horizon and McGee, and their individual safety programs are built on trust, innovation, and a shared dedication to protecting guests and employees. In his new role, Sather will oversee all safety functions, develop and execute long-term safety and security strategies, and continue to advance Air Group's world-class safety culture.
"Ryan's extensive experience across Alaska Air Group and aviation more broadly will benefit every employee and guest across our system," said Brooke Vatheuer, senior vice president of safety and audit. "His knowledge and ability to move the ball forward is matched only by his care for the people on his team and those he is working with. Ryan's leadership will be essential as we continue bringing Alaska and Hawaiian together under a single safety system and throughout the global expansion."
Sather brings more than a decade of progressive leadership experience at Alaska and Horizon, Alaska's regional carrier, with responsibilities spanning safety, system operation control, station operations, project management, and internal evaluation programs. His operational expertise has fostered strong relationships with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and he is recognized for his commonsense approach and ability to unite teams to deliver results.
Most recently, Sather led the effort to achieve a single operating certificate between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. On Oct. 29, 2025, the FAA officially recognized Alaska and Hawaiian as one operating airline with two guest-facing brands.
A retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, Sather completed 26 years of service, earning advanced tactical and standardization flight qualifications, including instructor pilot status.
Sather succeeds Max Tidwell, who will retire in January after eight years of distinguished service. Under Tidwell's leadership, Alaska Air Group navigated some of the most challenging moments in the company's recent history, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the response to Alaska Flight 1282, and the 2024 grounding of the Boeing MAX fleet.
About Alaska Air Group
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. We'll serve Europe beginning in spring 2026. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance, with Hawaiian scheduled to join oneworld in spring 2026. With oneworld and our additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem points for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations with Atmos Rewards. Learn more about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK."
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SOURCE Alaska Airlines