David Barger
{{Short description|American businessman}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Dave Barger profile 2010.JPG
| caption = Barger in 2010
| name = David Barger
| birth_name = David J. Barger
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1958}}
| birth_place = Southfield, Michigan, US
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = University of Michigan{{cite web|url=http://investor.jetblue.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=131045&p=irol-govBio&ID=76503|title=David Barger biography|work=JetBlue Airways|access-date=9 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019124230/http://investor.jetblue.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=131045&p=irol-govBio&ID=76503|archive-date=19 October 2006|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
| occupation = Former president and CEO of JetBlue
| successor = Robin Hayes
| parents =
}}
David J. Barger (born 1958) is an American businessman, and one of the co-founders of JetBlue. He was the airline's chief executive officer (CEO) until his ouster in February 2015. He had been part of JetBlue's founding team and was on the board of directors. Barger is now an operating partner at Connor Capital SB.{{Cite web|url=https://www.connorcsb.com/dave-barger|title=Connor Capital SB – Dave Barger|website=Connor Capital SB|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-03}}
Career
Barger's interest in airlines came from his father, who was a United Airlines pilot for 37 years.{{cite news|url=http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_14392143?source=rss|title=JetBlue CEO David Barger reflects on 10 years|last=Meeks|first=Karen|date=12 February 2010|work=Press-Telegram|accessdate=12 October 2010|location=Long Beach, California|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314123746/http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_14392143?source=rss|archive-date=14 March 2010|url-status=dead}} From 1982 to 1988, Barger served in a number of positions with New York Air, such as the Director of Stations.{{cite web|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=163373&ticker=JBLU:US|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118133640/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=163373&ticker=JBLU:US|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2013|title=David Barger: Executive Profile & Biography|work=Bloomberg Businessweek|accessdate=9 October 2010}} In 1992, he joined with Continental Airlines and held various management positions, including vice president of Continental's Newark Liberty International Airport hub.
Barger was one of the first employees of JetBlue Airways in 1998, and served as the chief operating officer until March 2007. Following a February 2007 incident in which the airline was forced to cancel nearly 1,700 flights due to winter storms, JetBlue's board of directors replaced founder and Chief Executive Officer David Neeleman with Barger.{{cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/may2007/pi20070510_255541.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_investing|title=A Change in the Cockpit at JetBlue|date=10 May 2007|work=Bloomberg Businessweek|accessdate=12 October 2010}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He had politicked the board, while Neeleman was busy publicly apologizing. Barger's ascendancy caused widespread demoralization in the ranks.{{cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2015/10/13/dupont-board-ellen-kullman/|title=Another suicidal board? How DuPont's directors failed Ellen Kullman|date=13 October 2015|work=Fortune magazine|accessdate=10 November 2015}} He became JetBlue's new Chief Executive Officer on May 10, 2007.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aWMyjHAcF4h4&refer=home|title=JetBlue Air Names Barger to Succeed Neeleman as Chief|last=Schlangenstein|first=Mary|author2=David Mildenberg|date=10 May 2007|work=Bloomberg L.P.|accessdate=12 October 2010}} Neeleman, the company's founder and largest individual investor, became a nonexecutive chairman as a result of the change.{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2007/05/11/2007-05-11_jettisoned_at_jetblue.html|title=Jettisoned at JetBlue|date=11 May 2007|work=Daily News|accessdate=12 October 2010}} On June 1, 2009, Barger became the president of JetBlue.
On September 18, 2014, Barger announced his resignation from the company effective February 16, 2015, following several reports that investors and the board were unhappy with the lagging stock price and Barger's performance.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-08-26/jetblue-ceo-david-barger-fires-back-at-wall-street-critics|title=JetBlue CEO Fires Back at Wall Street Analysts|date=26 Aug 2014|work=Bloomberg Business|accessdate=18 February 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/12851404/1/jetblue-analysts-say-bring-us-the-head-of-dave-barger.html|title=JetBlue Analysts Say 'Bring Us the Head of Dave Barger'|date=20 Aug 2014|work=TheStreet.com|accessdate=10 November 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-05-07/six-reasons-jetblues-ceo-probably-wont-stick-around|title=Six Reasons JetBlue's CEO Probably Won't Stick Around|date=7 May 2014|work=Bloomberg Business|accessdate=18 February 2015}} He was replaced on the board and as CEO by Robin Hayes.{{cite news|url=http://www.sltrib.com/home/2185794-155/jetblues-ceo-vies-to-please-passengers|title=JetBlue's CEO vies to please passengers, stocks|date=16 Feb 2015|work=The Salt Lake Tribune|accessdate=18 February 2015}} The stock price increased rapidly after Barger's removal was announced.{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/jetblue-ceo-barger-to-retire-in-february-1411072958|title=JetBlue CEO Barger to Retire in February|date=18 Sep 2014|work=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=18 February 2015}}
Barger has been a non-executive director of AIM Aviation Ltd since February 2014. He has been a director of gategroup Holding AG since April 2015, and is a director at The Partnership for New York City, Inc. He is a member of the board of governors at International Air Transport Association (IATA).{{Cite web|url=https://www.connorcsb.com/dave-barger|title=Connor Capital SB – Dave Barger|website=Connor Capital SB|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-04}} He joined the boards of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. in May 2017, and is a member of the Governance, Accountability and Nominating Committee, and the finance committee.{{Cite web|url=https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/who-we-are/leadership-team/board-of-directors/david-j-barger|title=David J. Barger|website=about.kaiserpermanente.org|language=en|access-date=2019-07-03}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{JetBlue}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barger, David}}
Category:American airline chief executives