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Giddy up, partner! Our Cowboy is Reaching for the Skies

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The anticipation’s been killing you!  For more than a month now, we’ve been wondering what Gary Kelly and the Gang would be for Halloween.  Did you suggest the winning costume?  There were several ideas from Customers on Nuts About Southwest, and the post about Gary’s Halloween costume on our internal site has more comments from Employees than any other post. Lots of Halloween SPIRIT! 

Drum roll please……Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines’ CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board, has been spotted dressed as Woody from Toy Story

With Toy Story 3 making a huge mark this year, it is very fitting that Gary pose as the “Rootin’est, tootin’est cowboy in the wild, wild West.”  Many of you may not know that Gary is our cowboy.  When Gary gets a free weekend, he heads to the ranch.  He was born and raised a Texan, and if you listen closely, you can hear a bit of a drawl in his voice as he leads Southwest Airlines across the wild frontier.

Quite a few Toy Story characters are at Southwest Headquarters today.

Buzz Lightyear, who happens to be Southwest’s Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ven, has been flying “to infinity and beyond” all morning.

Laura Wright, Senior Vice President Finance & Chief Financial Officer, is disguised as Woody’s friend, Jessie, the Yodeling Cowgirl.

The classy and always flirty Bo Peep is none other than Senior Vice President Planning, Tammy Romo.

Who could forget the budding, and slightly “plastic,” romance between Barbie and Ken?  Bob Jordan, Executive Vice President Strategy and Planning, and Ginger Hardage, Senior Vice President Culture & Communications, are meandering the Southwest halls today, searching for closets full of clothes and pink Corvettes. 

Woody’s faithful steed, Bullseye, is here, with none other than Dave Ridley, Senior Vice President Marketing & Revenue Management, at the helm. 

And what about those Toy Soldiers?  A very mean, very green, Jeff Lamb, Senior Vice President Administration & Chief People Officer, is on patrol. 

A big thank you to Spirit Halloween Superstores for transforming our Leaders into the cast of Toy Story!  Keep your eyes peeled.  You never know where you’ll see the cast next, around the Southwest System or on the silver screen. 

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