Alaska Air Group Names Karen Gruen Managing Director of Corporate Affairs, Assistant Corporate Secretary

Alaska Air Group has named Karen Gruen managing director of corporate affairs and assistant corporate secretary, as well as associate general counsel for Alaska Airlines.

In her new role, Gruen will serve as staff for the Alaska Air Group Board of Directors and its committees. She will also be responsible for corporate governance and security law compliance.

"Karen’s intelligence, her background as an attorney and her ability to work cross-divisionally make her uniquely qualified for this role," said Keith Loveless, Alaska Air Group’s general counsel and corporate secretary. "Her leadership will be pivotal to our growth plans during 2006 and beyond."

A nine-year employee of Alaska Airlines with more than 13 years practicing law, Gruen previously served as Alaska’s senior attorney for commercial and regulatory law. Prior to joining Alaska, Gruen worked as an attorney at Short Cressman & Burgess in Seattle.

Gruen holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and liberal arts from Michigan State University, and received her law degree from the University of Michigan. She resides Seattle.

Alaska Airlines and sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve 88 cities through an expansive network throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. For reservations visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air newsroom at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com/.

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines