James Parker

James Parker, who also served as vice chairman of the airline's board of directors, died unexpectedly following dinner with friends, a spokesman confirmed Sunday February 3 2019. He was 72. Parker had been in the role of chief executive only a few months at the time of the terrorist attacks, which sent the airline industry into turmoil. Rather than cut its workforce, Southwest kept all workers on and made a nearly $180 million profit-sharing payment to its employees in the days after the attacks. In 2004, Parker, then 57, shocked the airline industry when he left. He was succeeded as chief executive by Gary Kelly, who continues to hold that position. Parker began his tenure at Southwest as general counsel in February 1986. He was named vice chairman of the board and chief executive in June 2001. Before joining Southwest, Parker was a lawyer with the San Antonio firm Oppenheimer, Rosenberg, Kelleher & Wheatley Inc. He also was an assistant attorney general of Texas. He earned his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.