Alaska Air Group Elects Mark Eliasen Vice President – Finance and Treasurer

SEATTLE, Feb. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The Alaska Air Group board of directors announced today that Mark Eliasen has been elected vice president – finance and treasurer. Eliasen will be responsible for Air Group financing, fuel hedging, fleet management and treasury activities.

"I’m thrilled to have Mark join the Air Group finance team," Air Group Chief Financial Officer Brandon Pedersen said. "Mark has played a key role in the recent improvements at Horizon. That experience, combined with his diverse finance background, have prepared him well to take on this new role."

Currently vice president of finance at Alaska Air Group subsidiary Horizon Air, Eliasen brings more than 25 years of corporate and consulting experience to his new position. Before joining Air Group, Eliasen practiced in the Puget Sound area as an independent corporate finance consultant. He previously served as assistant treasurer for WRQ (now Attachmate), a high-ranking connectivity software company with headquarters in Seattle, and as director of finance for Intermec Technologies, a leading manufacturer of barcode systems based in Everett, Wash.

A certified public accountant, Eliasen earned a bachelor’s degree from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Air Group