Diana Birkett Rakow speaks during a Boeing Co. ecoDemonstrator program tour at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Wednesday, July 28, 2021.
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Hawaiian Airlines CEO Joe Sprague will retire effective October 29 and will be succeeded by Diana Birkett Rakow, the airline’s parent company Alaska Air Group said on Wednesday.
Birkett Rakow joined Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of the group, eight years ago. She most recently served as senior vice president of public affairs and sustainability.
Upon transition, she will continue to report to Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group.
Alaska Air Group completed its $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024.
Sprague, who has worked at Alaska Airlines for 25 years, became CEO of Hawaiian Airlines after the acquisition. After stepping down, he will remain a member of the board.
