Executive Management
John W. Dietrich
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide
John W. Dietrich is President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide, a $4 billion public company (Nasdaq: AAWW). AAWW is the leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services.
Mr. Dietrich has over 30 years’ of experience with multi-national, public companies, including all facets of aviation and airline management. He is responsible for strategic oversight for Atlas Air Worldwide and its subsidiaries, including its international operating airlines, Atlas Air, Inc., and Polar Air Cargo (a joint venture airline with DHL Express), and its leasing company, Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc. The Atlas Air Worldwide companies serve the e-commerce, express and general air freight markets in over 400 destinations in 90 countries, and are a major supplier to Alibaba, Amazon, DHL Express, FedEx, HP, Inditex, Kuehne+Nagel, NCA, Qantas, SF Express, UPS and the US military. Together, they operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft and complementary aviation services. Atlas is the world’s second largest airfreight operator measured by freight tonne kilometers (FTKs).
Mr. Dietrich assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer in January 2020. Before being appointed as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Dietrich served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from September 2006 to December 2019. Mr. Dietrich joined Atlas Air Worldwide in 1999 as Associate General Counsel and subsequently served as its Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary. In that role, he also had responsibility for Human Resources, IT and Corporate Communications.
Under Mr. Dietrich’s leadership, the company has significantly expanded and diversified its service offerings, building from a single-gauge 747 ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) cargo business to many gauges of aircraft, as well as the expansion into passenger service and aircraft leasing businesses. He introduced the highly successful joint venture with DHL with its Polar Air Cargo subsidiary. Mr. Dietrich is also responsible for the continuing expansion of the company’s military business in both cargo and passenger sectors.
Prior to joining AAWW, Mr. Dietrich spent 13 years at United Airlines, seven of those as a litigation attorney. At both United and AAWW, he was responsible for providing legal counsel to all levels of management and served as an advisor on issues related to labor relations, employment and commercial litigation.
Mr. Dietrich serves as Chairman of the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA), and led the organization’s development of an aviation subcommittee on cybersecurity. He also sits on the Board of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (the joint venture with DHL), and AACT, a Korean joint venture for warehouse and ground handling services. He is on the Board of Directors for Airlines for America (A4A) and is a member (and former Chairman) of the National Air Carrier Association (NACA). He was also a member of the Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force on Survivable Logistics, convened by the U.S. Department of Defense. Additionally, Mr. Dietrich recently joined the board of the Liberty City Optimist Club, dedicated to youth development initiatives in the Miami community.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Dietrich attended Southern Illinois University and graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois at Chicago – John Marshall Law School. He is a member of the Bar in New York, Illinois and Colorado.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwdietrich/
James A. Forbes
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide
James A. (Jim) Forbes was appointed to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the company on January 1, 2020. In addition to his role as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide, he will serve as Chief Operating Officer of the company’s subsidiaries Atlas Air, Inc. and Southern Air, Inc.
He has over 30 years of aviation operating experience, including more than 20 years with Atlas Air Worldwide. He is currently Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer for Southern Air. In this role, he has been responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day Southern Air operation, including flight, ground and technical operations, as well as safety, performance and customer satisfaction.
Mr. Forbes joined Atlas in 1997 as Senior Director of Ground Operations, where he helped build the global infrastructure upon which Atlas has grown. He was promoted to Vice President, Worldwide Ground Operations in 2001, overseeing station operations for all of Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo. In 2008, Mr. Forbes was named Senior Vice President for System Performance and Quality at Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Atlas’ joint venture with DHL Express. In that role he led the transformation of the all-cargo network into today’s on-time express operation that supports DHL Express’ worldwide air network.
Prior to joining Atlas, Mr. Forbes was Station Director for USAir’s transatlantic hub in Philadelphia, overseeing 350 daily departures and leading nearly 2,000 employees. Earlier in his career, Mr. Forbes served as Chairman of the Merger Committee for Teamsters Union Local 278, which represented ground employees of Pacific Southwest Airlines and negotiated the all-airport staff merger of USAir and Pacific Southwest Airlines.
Adam R. Kokas
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Atlas Air Worldwide
Adam Kokas is responsible for directing the company’s legal and regulatory affairs, as well as overseeing all compliance matters. He joined AAWW as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary in October 2006. The following year he took on responsibility for the company’s human resources department which includes the benefits, staffing, HRIS and employee relations functions. He was appointed to Executive Vice President in 2014.
Mr. Kokas joined AAWW from Ropes & Gray LLP, where he was a partner in its Corporate Department, focusing on general corporate, securities and business law. Prior to joining Ropes & Gray, Mr. Kokas was a partner at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, where he joined as an associate in 2001. While at both firms, Mr. Kokas represented AAWW in a variety of matters, including corporate finance transactions, corporate governance and compliance matters, strategic alliances, securities matters, and other general corporate issues.
Mr. Kokas earned his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers College, and is a cum laude graduate of the Boston University School of Law, where he was an Edward M. Hennessey scholar. He is a member of the Bar in New York and New Jersey. Mr. Kokas has served as chairman of the Cargo Airline Association, a nonprofit trade organization representing U.S. cargo carriers, since 2011.
Spencer Schwartz
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide
Spencer Schwartz is the company’s CFO, responsible for all financial and information technology (IT) functions, including treasury, investor relations, financial planning and analysis, financial reporting, accounting, tax, internal audit, business resiliency and IT. He was named to the position in June 2010 and was appointed Executive Vice President in 2014.
Mr. Schwartz joined AAWW as Vice President and Controller in 2008. He is a certified public accountant with broad experience in financial management, risk analysis, strategic planning, accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, auditing, tax and related disciplines.
Prior to AAWW, Mr. Schwartz was employed for more than 12 years by MasterCard Incorporated where he served as Group Head of Global Risk Management; Senior Vice President and Business Financial Officer; Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer; and Vice President of Taxation.
Mr. Schwartz began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He earned an MBA with honors from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from The Pennsylvania State University. He was named one of the “100 most influential people in finance” by Treasury & Risk Magazine. Mr. Schwartz was also named by Aviation News as one of the “Top 10 CFOs in the aerospace industry” and “The Aviation 100”, which recognizes the most outstanding performers in aerospace. Mr. Schwartz is an active member of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of the Hudson Valley, an organization that partners businesses with schools to benefit school-age children in the community.
Michael T. Steen
Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide
Michael T. Steen joined Atlas Air Worldwide in April 2007 and was appointed Executive Vice President in 2010. He is responsible for all aspects of the Company’s global sales and marketing activities, including strategy, new products and services, brand positioning and marketing communications. Additionally, he is President and Chief Executive Officer of Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc., the wholly-owned dry-leasing subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc.
Mr. Steen has both broad and unique experience in the aviation and logistics sectors, having served global leadership roles at market leaders including DHL, Exel Plc and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at CHC Helicopters and is Vice Chairman of the International Air Transportation Association [IATA] Cargo Committee. Mr. Steen is a past Chairman and board member of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA).
Mr. Steen earned a degree in economics in Gothenburg Sweden and is an alumnus of the Advanced Executive Program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Patricia Goodwin-Peters
Senior Vice President Human Resources, Atlas Air Worldwide
Ms. Goodwin-Peters is responsible for providing strategic leadership through the development of Human Resources policies and practices that reflect the Company’s values and support its strategy.
Ms. Goodwin-Peters joined Atlas Air in 2018 with more than 15 years of Human Resources experience. Before joining Atlas, Ms. Goodwin-Peters was the Head of Human Resources North America for Kate Spade & Co. and was responsible for talent identification and management initiatives and served as a liaison to the Board of Directors on topics of talent strategy and executive compensation. Additionally, she led company-wide culture enhancement programs and learning and organization development. Prior to Kate Spade, Ms. Goodwin-Peters held senior HR positions with Aeropostale, Inc. and Ralph Lauren where she led global performance management and mobilization programs that facilitated significant company growth.
Ms. Goodwin-Peters holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Fordham University and an MBA from the Zicklin School of Business
Board of Directors
Charles F. Bolden, Jr
Member of the Audit and Finance Committee and the Compensation Committee
Major General Charles F. Bolden Jr., Retired U.S. Marine Corps served as the 12th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from July 2009 to January 2017. As Administrator, he led a nationwide NASA team to advance the missions and goals of the U.S. space program.
General Boden’s 34-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps also included 14 years as a member of NASA’s Astronaut Office. After joining the Office in 1980, General Bolden traveled to orbit four times aboard the space shuttle between 1986 and 1994, commanding two of the missions and piloting two others. His flights included deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope and the first joint U.S.-Russian shuttle mission, which featured a cosmonaut as a member of his crew. General Bolden left NASA in 1994 and returned to the operating forces of the Marine Corps. His final duty was as Commanding General of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Miramar, CA.
Walter G. Borst
Member of the Audit and Finance Committee
Raymond L. Conner
Member of the Compensation Committee
John W. Dietrich
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide
John W. Dietrich is President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide, a $4 billion public company (Nasdaq: AAWW). AAWW is the leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services.
Mr. Dietrich has over 30 years’ of experience with multi-national, public companies, including all facets of aviation and airline management. He is responsible for strategic oversight for Atlas Air Worldwide and its subsidiaries, including its international operating airlines, Atlas Air, Inc., and Polar Air Cargo (a joint venture airline with DHL Express), and its leasing company, Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc. The Atlas Air Worldwide companies serve the e-commerce, express and general air freight markets in over 400 destinations in 90 countries, and are a major supplier to Alibaba, Amazon, DHL Express, FedEx, HP, Inditex, Kuehne+Nagel, NCA, Qantas, SF Express, UPS and the US military. Together, they operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft and complementary aviation services. Atlas is the world’s second largest airfreight operator measured by freight tonne kilometers (FTKs).
Mr. Dietrich assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer in January 2020. Before being appointed as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Dietrich served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from September 2006 to December 2019. Mr. Dietrich joined Atlas Air Worldwide in 1999 as Associate General Counsel and subsequently served as its Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary. In that role, he also had responsibility for Human Resources, IT and Corporate Communications.
Under Mr. Dietrich’s leadership, the company has significantly expanded and diversified its service offerings, building from a single-gauge 747 ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) cargo business to many gauges of aircraft, as well as the expansion into passenger service and aircraft leasing businesses. He introduced the highly successful joint venture with DHL with its Polar Air Cargo subsidiary. Mr. Dietrich is also responsible for the continuing expansion of the company’s military business in both cargo and passenger sectors.
Prior to joining AAWW, Mr. Dietrich spent 13 years at United Airlines, seven of those as a litigation attorney. At both United and AAWW, he was responsible for providing legal counsel to all levels of management and served as an advisor on issues related to labor relations, employment and commercial litigation.
Mr. Dietrich serves as Chairman of the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA), and led the organization’s development of an aviation subcommittee on cybersecurity. He also sits on the Board of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (the joint venture with DHL), and AACT, a Korean joint venture for warehouse and ground handling services. He is on the Board of Directors for Airlines for America (A4A) and is a member (and former Chairman) of the National Air Carrier Association (NACA). He was also a member of the Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force on Survivable Logistics, convened by the U.S. Department of Defense. Additionally, Mr. Dietrich recently joined the board of the Liberty City Optimist Club, dedicated to youth development initiatives in the Miami community.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Dietrich attended Southern Illinois University and graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois at Chicago – John Marshall Law School. He is a member of the Bar in New York, Illinois and Colorado.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwdietrich/
Beverly K. Goulet
Chair of the Compensation Committee
Beverly K. Goulet served as Senior Vice President and Chief Integration Officer of American Airlines Group Inc. from 2013 through November 2015 and Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer from December 2015 until her retirement from American in June 2017. Ms. Goulet was also the Chief Restructuring Officer of American from 2011 to 2013 and Vice President — Corporate Development and Treasurer from 2002 to 2013.
Prior to joining American, Ms. Goulet practiced corporate and securities law for 13 years. She received a Bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan.
Ms. Goulet is also a director of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc and Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
Bobby J. Griffin
Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee, Member of the Compensation Committee.
Mr. Griffin served as President – International Operations for Ryder System, Inc., a global provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain management solutions from 2005 to 2007. Beginning in 1986, Mr. Griffin served in various other management positions with Ryder, including as Executive Vice President – International Operations from 2003 to 2005 and Executive Vice President – Global Supply Chain Operations from 2001 to 2003. Prior to Ryder, Mr. Griffin was an executive at ATE Management and Service Company, Inc., which was acquired by Ryder in 1986.
Mr. Griffin currently serves as director of Hanesbrands Inc., United Rentals, Inc., where he is Lead Independent Director, and WESCO International, Inc.
Duncan J. McNabb
Chairman of the Board, Atlas Air Worldwide
General (Ret.) Duncan J. McNabb USAF has been a member of the Board since July 2012, a member of the Nominating and Governance Committee from June 2014 and a member of the Audit Committee since December 2012. He also served as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee from May 2017 to December 2019. He was named Lead Independent Director of the AAWW Board of Directors in September 2019 after having served in this position on an interim basis since August 2019.
General McNabb served as Commander of the Air Mobility Command from 2005 to 2007 and Commander of the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) from 2008 to 2011. USTRANSCOM is the single manager for air, land and sea transportation for the Department of Defense (DOD).
He also served as DOD’s Distribution Process Owner, overseeing DOD’s end-to-end supply chain, transportation, and distribution to our armed forces worldwide. General McNabb commanded more than $56 billion in strategic transportation assets, over 150,000 service personnel and a worldwide command-and-control network.
A 1974 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and Air Force pilot, he flew more than 5,600 hours in transport and rotary aircraft, including the C-17. General McNabb has held command and staff positions at squadron, group, wing, major command and DOD levels. During his over 37 year military career, General McNabb also served as the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs with responsibility for all Air Force programs and over $500 billion in funding over the Air Force’s Five-Year Defense Plan (FYDP).
He later served as Director of Logistics on the Joint Staff and was responsible for operational logistics and strategic mobility support to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense. Before his final command at USTRANSCOM, McNabb served as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. General McNabb currently serves on a number of public, private, and nonprofit boards.
Sheila A. Stamps
Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and Member of Nominating and Governance Committee
Board member since May 2018
Sheila A. Stamps was Executive Vice President at Dreambuilder Investments, LLC and has had a distinguished career at various financial institutions, including serving as a Managing Director at Bank of America (formerly, FleetBoston Financial Corporation) and an executive with Bank One Corporation (now, JP Morgan Chase & Co.).
Stamps currently serves as a Director of CIT Group, Inc. and CIT Bank N.A, Pitney Bowes Inc. and Forest Road Acquisition Corp. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and completed a Fellowship at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. She serves on the Board Advisory Services Faculty of the National Association of Corporate Directors and is recognized as a NACD Board Leadership Fellow.
Carol J. Zierhoffer
Member of the Audit and Finance Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee
Carol J. Zierhoffer has over 30 years of experience in the information technology industry. Most recently and until her retirement in October 2019, Ms. Zierhoffer served as the Senior Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer at Bechtel Corporation, where she oversaw Bechtel’s Global Information Systems & Technology organization with responsibility for Bechtel’s business and technology solutions, cybersecurity, infrastructure and operations, big data and analytics, innovation, emerging technology and knowledge management for Bechtel’s business lines and projects worldwide.
Additionally, Ms. Zierhoffer served as Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer of Xerox Corporation from 2012 through 2013, Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer of ITT Corporation from 2008 through 2011 and Vice President and Chief Information Officer of three Northrop Grumman Corporation sectors — Electronics, Information Technology and Mission Systems — from 2002 through 2008.
Ms. Zierhoffer is also a director of Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. and Vizient Inc.
George A. Willis
Member of the Nominating and Governance Committee