Everyone says that time flies when you’re having FUN, and Albany International Airport (ALB) Ramp Supervisor Patrick Leahy couldn’t agree more. As with all Ramp Employees in the airline industry, Patrick’s career under the wing has included bags, tugs, and bin slips; however, his four years at Southwest have flown by with added tricks to the standard industry resume.
“We have pulled some great pranks up here in ALB,” Patrick recalls. “We have tin-foiled our Admin’s office, filled my Leader’s office with balloons, and turned another office into the beach. You have to have a good time while at work!”
The ability to display a Fun-LUVing Attitude while at work is exactly what propelled him to the Careers page on southwest.com. A decade-long veteran in the airline business, Patrick had heard stories about how Southwest Employees were treated and finally witnessed it firsthand while temping in ALB. Now that he’s part of the Family, he can’t imagine a day of work without adding a little bit of FUN into the routine.
"I hear people complaining all the time about how much they hate their job and how they don’t want to go to work,” Patrick said. “I was one of those people for the first ten years of my career, and now that I’m at Southwest, I’ve learned that work can be FUN, and I look forward to coming in every day.”
Despite the helium chaos he created in their offices, Patrick’s Leaders can’t hold him in anything but the highest regard, and they know that he works even harder than he plays.
“Patrick can be counted on to do any task asked of him,” said ALB Station Manager John Ryckman. “When Pat is working, I do not have any worries about our operation.”
Luckily for John (and the ALB operation), Patrick is never one to miss a day of work. He has received Perfect Attendance awards for several years and is aiming to do the same in 2013. For Patrick, coming in for a shift is easy when you can have a good time doing your job and work at a Station like ALB.
“I like working in a smaller Station since it allows more exposure with other departments,” Patrick said. “It also allows you to get to know everyone that you’re working with on a more personal level. I LUV how every day is different and presents a new set of challenges.”
Patrick doesn’t reserve his FUN personality for work—he displays both his LUV for a challenge and Warrior Spirit on the hockey rink several times a week. He is also an avid sports fan, watching baseball and hockey regularly.
Being hired into the Company as a Ramp Supervisor, Patrick had to learn the Southwest Leadership style quickly. John said that hasn’t been a problem for Patrick, particularly with his ability to relate to others. As ALB’s 2012 Leader of the Year, Patrick has clearly demonstrated that he knows how to Lead with LUV while Living the Southwest Way.
“Patrick is probably one of the best overall Leaders I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” John said. “He is respected by all his Teammembers whether they are Peers, Agents, or myself. I have learned as much from him as a Leader as I have from any other Leader I have worked with in my career at SWA.”
