Leadership Team

Bob Jordan

President, Chief Executive Officer, & Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors

Bob Jordan serves as President, Chief Executive Officer, & Vice Chairman of the Board at Southwest Airlines. Bob is a 37-year Southwest veteran, and has held 15 different positions, including leadership roles in Finance, Planning, Procurement, Fuel, Facilities, Technology, Corporate Strategy, and People & Culture, and has served as Southwest’s Chief Commercial Officer.  

As CEO, Bob is leading the largest transformation in Southwest’s 54-year history, evolving to meet the needs of our current and future Customers, modernize the airline and lower costs, and improve financial returns. This includes assigned and premium seating, enhancements to our award-winning Rapid Rewards loyalty program, new distribution channels, adding redeye flying routes and global airline partnerships, and a new vacations product, Getaways by Southwest. Bob champions the unique Southwest Culture, leading Southwest's People as they focus on delivering unparalleled Hospitality and legendary Customer Service.  

During his career, Bob has been responsible for many key initiatives, including development of Southwest’s e-commerce platform, the Rapid Rewards loyalty program, leading the comprehensive "Heart" brand refresh, and implementing a new reservations system.  

Bob also played a critical role in Southwest’s acquisition of AirTran Airways and served as President of AirTran during the integration, a strategic move that expanded Southwest’s domestic and international network. During the global pandemic, Bob led Company efforts around voluntary retirement and leave programs that were critical to reducing costs and avoiding pay cuts as demand for air travel plummeted. 

Bob earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University. He serves on the boards of Airlines for America, Southwestern Medical Foundation, and Airlink Governors Council. Bob and his wife, Kelly, have two grown children and two grandsons. 

Andrew Watterson

Chief Operating Officer

Andrew Watterson serves the People of Southwest Airlines as Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Andrew's Executive guidance shapes the strategy, design, and performance of the operation and commercial organizations of the world's largest point-to-point air carrier, the world's most awarded airline. More than 60,000 Southwest Employees under his leadership work as a team to safely transport hundreds of thousands of Customers, their bags, and cargo each day.

Andrew assumed the role of COO in October 2022, and previously served as Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, his most recent executive appointment since joining Southwest as Vice President of Network Planning and Performance in October 2013.

Prior to his time at Southwest, he served as Vice President of Planning and Revenue Management at Hawaiian Airlines after 12 years as a partner with Oliver Wyman in the consulting firm's aviation practice. Andrew also spent three years as an operations management consultant with Ernst & Young in both Atlanta and Paris.

He was conferred a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA with concentration in Operations Management from Vanderbilt University. He served four years in the U.S. Army.

Tom Doxey

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Tom Doxey is an experienced aviation executive with a proven track record of leadership across airline operations, finance, and strategic transformation.

At Southwest, Tom leads all aspects of the Company's finance organization, including accounting, tax, financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, and investor relations. He also oversees corporate strategy, fleet management and the treasury. Tom also closely monitors spend management and supply chain - leading Southwest's cost initiatives in its transformational plan.

Prior to Southwest, he served as President of Breeze Airways, where he led the airline through a successful transformation from a startup to profitability in under two years. Under his leadership, Breeze developed a strong guest-focused brand, launched a loyalty program and co-branded credit card, optimized its fleet and network, and became the largest NCAA basketball charter operator in the country. 

Tom also held several leadership roles at United Airlines, including Senior Vice President of Technical Operations and CFO of Operations. At United, he oversaw global maintenance, supply chain, and engineering teams, managing a $5 billion budget and leading strategic initiatives, including a complex aircraft storage program during the global pandemic. He also led United’s fleet transactions and planning teams and had financial oversight for United’s $18 billion operations budget. 

Tom’s aviation career began in financial planning and fleet management roles at Allegiant Air and US Airways, where he gained deep expertise in aircraft transactions, cost optimization, and corporate finance.  

Tom holds a Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Brigham Young University. He serves on the Advisory Board for BYU’s Marriott School of Business and is a board member of the Aviation Maintenance Council. A former collegiate baseball player, he was recognized as an Academic All-Conference athlete. Fluent in Spanish, Tom has done volunteer work in Barcelona, Spain. 

Justin Jones

Executive Vice President Operations

Justin Jones leads the Southwest Teams that are responsible for Ground Operations, Technical Operations, and Air Operations as well as the Operations Strategy & Design Team. Justin joined Southwest Airlines in 2001 as a Revenue Management and Pricing Analyst, after which he held positions in Interactive Marketing, Aircraft Operations, Operations Research, Pricing, and Planning, and served as the Commercial Lead for the replacement of our reservation system. In 2016, Justin became Vice President Operational Strategy & Performance where he was responsible for the operational performance and strategic planning of Companywide initiatives that aligned and supported Southwest’s operations. Justin served in that role until September 2018 before moving to Technical Operations as Vice President Planning & Performance. In December 2021, Justin became the SVP of Operational Strategy & Design where he worked with Operational Leaders to build the plans needed to modernize the operation.

Justin believes in the power of Teamwork and lives by the philosophy that if you expect the best from your People—and believe they are the best—they will make it true. Justin considers his proudest moment to be when his children, SW and Stella, were born, and he resides in the Dallas area with his wife Melissa.

Justin holds a bachelor of science in economics from Texas A&M University.

Tony Roach

Executive Vice President Chief Customer & Brand Officer

As Executive Vice President Chief Customer & Brand Officer, Tony oversees several Customer and Employee-facing functions including Marketing, Corporate Communication, Customer Experience, Digital, Product & Loyalty, Customer Care, and Culture & Inclusion. Tony is known for Leadership that unifies efforts across the organization to drive growth, and his current focus is driving Customer demand, implementing seamless Customer experiences, and elevating the Southwest brand both internally and externally.

Over his two decades at Southwest, Tony has led several high-impact initiatives, including overseeing a $2 billion Customer Experience transformation plan, focused on modernizing the cabin and digital experiences. Under Tony’s Leadership, Southwest has received numerous accolades, including recognition in Newsweek’s America’s Best Customer Service 2024 list and being named the #1 Airline for Economy Class Customer Satisfaction three-years in a row by the J.D. Power North American Airline Satisfaction Study. These achievements reflect his commitment in reinforcing Southwest’s leadership in Customer service.

Beyond his core responsibilities, Tony is passionate about fostering a People-first Culture at Southwest. He serves as the Executive Sponsor of B.E.A.T., an Employee-led internal resource group focused on career education, mentorship, and community initiatives to empower Southwest Employees in their professional growth. Additionally, he serves on the Children’s Health Board of Directors, further showcasing his commitment to impactful leadership and service beyond the airline industry.

Tony holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from Abilene Christian University. He and his wife, Marja, live in Dallas and have four children. 

Elizabeth A. Bryant

Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer

Elizabeth Bryant is the Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer at Southwest Airlines. She provides Executive Leadership for People (Human Resources), Talent & Leadership Development, Total Rewards, and Southwest Airlines University. Bryant is committed to serving the People and preserving the Culture of Southwest Airlines. Since joining Southwest in 1997, she's led many initiatives, including training centralization, performance management, SAP implementation, and AirTran Integration.

Elizabeth is passionate about women in leadership and dedicates her time to mentoring and sponsoring bright talent within and outside Southwest. In addition, Elizabeth serves on the Board of Directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Board of Trustees at Hawaii Pacific University. She previously served as a member of the Board of Visitors at The Catholic University of America School of Business and Economics.

Elizabeth graduated with a bachelor's degree in communication studies from California State University, Sacramento. She also holds a master's degree in speech communication from Indiana University. Elizabeth and her husband, Torry, live in Dallas and are the proud parents of four children.

Reid Grandle

Senior Vice President Finance and Chief Strategy Officer

As Senior Vice President Finance and Chief Strategy Officer, Reid oversees the Treasury, Fleet Management, and Corporate Strategy & Transformation departments. Collectively, these Teams focus on short- and long-term value creation. Reid is responsible for the overall Company strategy, fleet strategy and transactions, capital allocation strategy, and tracking and reporting on Southwest’s overall transformation initiatives. 

The core of Reid’s experience at Southwest has been in Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) and Corporate Strategy. Reid has also led departments such as fuel operations and supply, environmental sustainability, and innovation – which also included the enterprise data science and continuous improvement functions. Before joining Southwest, he was a Principal in Oliver Wyman's aviation practice, where he advised companies on strategic, commercial, and operational issues.

Reid holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned concentrations in finance, management, and entrepreneurship—as well as a minor in psychology. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Mary Virginia, and together they are the proud parents of three children. In his spare time, Reid loves spending time with his family, being an active member of his church, mountaineering, training, reading, playing guitar, and supporting the Arkansas Razorback football team. 

Jeff Novota

Senior Vice President Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary

As Senior Vice President Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary at Southwest Airlines, Jeff leads the Company’s Legal, Labor Relations, and Governmental Affairs functions. In addition to holding responsibility for all legal matters affecting Southwest Airlines, he oversees the Company’s advocacy and relations with government officials, regulatory agencies, and labor groups. He also provides legal advice and strategic guidance to the Company's Senior Management Committee and Board of Directors. 

Prior to this role, Jeff served as Vice President General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, advising senior management and the Board of Directors and overseeing all legal practice areas, including corporate governance, securities, compliance, commercial transactions, general corporate, labor and employment, and litigation matters. Jeff assumed the position of Vice President General Counsel & Corporate Secretary in June 2024 after serving as Vice President Legal, Corporate & Transactions.

Prior to joining Southwest in 2011, Jeff practiced at a Chicago law firm where he concentrated on transportation finance and regulatory matters. Jeff received a J.D. from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science from Purdue University. He holds an FAA commercial multi-engine pilot certificate.

Jeff and his wife, Mary, are the proud parents of three children. 

Lauren Woods

Senior Vice President Technology & Chief Information Officer

Lauren Woods provides strategic and innovative Leadership as Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest airline in terms of domestic Customer boardings. Lauren's vision is to provide Southwest with the most reliable, secure, and effective Technology solutions in the airline industry.

Since joining Southwest in 2010, Lauren has led key initiatives across Southwest's Technology Department, supporting Southwest's Digital and Customer Channels and various Operations Teams and Platforms. Lauren was instrumental in establishing Southwest's Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud Infrastructure, creating a new development and delivery platform for complex application ecosystems. She also focused heavily on the transformation of Southwest's enterprise data platforms that drive the Company's Data Science, Analytics, Optimization, and System integrations.

Prior to Southwest, Lauren worked in the management consulting firm Diamond Management & Technology (now PWC) with clients such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Travelers Insurance. Lauren's consulting experience laid the foundation for her launch into Technology at Southwest.

Lauren is passionate about cloud-native development and infrastructure, as well as Southwest's Legendary Customer Service, and shares these passions as a board member of 66degrees, a Google Cloud Premier Partner, helping Customers master security, infrastructure, and app development in Chicago. Lauren is also passionate about the neurodiverse community and served many years on the Board of Directors, and remains actively involved at Oak Hill Academy in Dallas. Oak Hill Academy is designed around a neurodiverse learning approach that focuses on a multi-sensory model.

Lauren graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management & Marketing—where her love for technology began. In her spare time, Lauren likes to ski, read, hang with her dogs, and spend time with her family.