David Barger

Chief Executive Officer, JetBlue Airways Corporation

As Chief Executive Officer, David (Dave) Barger leads JetBlue’s charge to bring humanity back to air travel and to establish JetBlue as a new standard in the airline industry for service, performance and innovation.  JetBlue began operations in February, 2000 from its base at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and now, more than nine years later, serves 53 destinations across the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America.  At the end of 2008, JetBlue operated a fleet of 107 Airbus A320 aircraft and 35 EMBRAER 190 aircraft. Mr. Barger founded JetBlue in August 1998 as President and Chief Operating Officer, and was named Chief Executive Officer in May 2007.  Under his leadership, JetBlue returned to profitability in 2007, welcomed its 100th Airbus 320 aircraft to the fleet, and introduced “BetaBlue,” the value airline’s first aircraft to feature onboard email and instant messaging, the first of its kind in the United States.  JetBlue was also recognized with the Airbus Operational Excellence award for operating the World’s Most Reliable A320 Fleet.  In October 2008, Mr. Barger led JetBlue’s move into the airline’s new state-of-the-art Terminal 5 at JFK.

Mr. Barger studied at the University of Michigan where he majored in Economics and Political Science.

Industry and Community Leadership

Mr. Barger is a member of the Board of Governors and Treasurer of the Flight Safety Foundation, an independent, nonprofit, international organization engaged in research, auditing, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety.  Mr. Barger is the President of the Wing’s Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing aviation through discussion, education and community support activities.Mr. Barger endowed the Barger Leadership Institute in the Organizational Studies Program at the University of Michigan in 2007.  The Institute is one of the first programs in the nation to offer leadership-learning experiences to undergraduates through specially designed fellowships, internships, and research. Mr. Barger is also a member of the Board of Directors of PENCIL, Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning, based in New York City.  He has been paired with Principal Karen Bailey of PS 153, the Adam Clayton Powell in West Harlem, New York, since 2003, and has partnered with the school to help develop a professional development program designed to retain new teachers and support the staff of the school.  As Chair of The LEAGUE, based in Newark, NJ, Mr. Barger brings his executive and professional experience to the organization, dedicated to teaching students the value of giving.