Eastern Air Lines Group (“Eastern”) has announced the election of General (Ret.) Raymond T. Odierno, to the Eastern Board of Directors.
General Odierno recently retired, after graduating from West Point and 40 years of active military service to our nation, as US Army Chief of Staff, and prior to that assignment served as Commander, United States Joint Forces Command and Commander- United States Forces- Iraq.
“We are very pleased to have Ray Odierno join our board and provide us his unique global perspectives which will be invaluable to a growing international airline,” said Admiral (Ret.) William Owens, Eastern’s Chairman. Eastern’s CEO, Ed Wegel, added, “We are honored to have General Odierno on our board and to advise our management team, as well as continue to serve as an inspiration through his prior leadership of the United States Army. He will be a key advisor to our team on security issues as well as continue to help us build on Eastern’s core values of Team Work, Respect and Integrity in all that we do.”
General Odierno commented, “Growing up in New Jersey, I flew the former Eastern often and know well its legacy and its traditions which have been continued with the new airline. I have been attracted to the great entrepreneurial spirit here at Eastern, and the strong principled foundations laid by Admiral Owens and our majority investor, Vince Viola, so I very much look forward to working with the board and management in the continued development and growth of the airline.”
Eastern flies a fleet of four (4) fuel efficient Boeing 737-700/800 aircraft from its base at Miami International Airport and employs over 160 aviation professionals. Eastern has orders for ten 737 MAX aircraft and 20 Mitsubishi MRJ-90 aircraft.