Kerr, who has been CFO for two decades, is staying on with the company to oversee its regional operations and as a strategic adviser. Kerr was part of the executive team from US Airways that helped orchestrate the merger with American Airlines in 2013 that created the world’s largest carrier.
CEO Robert Isom is promoting another America West and US Airways veteran to lead the financial team that is taskedmuch of that accumulated trying to salvage the company during the COVID-19 crisis. Derek Kerr, who has been the chief financial officer at American Airlines, US Airways and America West for 20 years.“It has been a tremendous honor to serve as CFO of American, US Airways and America West the past 20 years,” said Kerr said in a statement. “I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished over that time — particularly over the past three years during the pandemic as we faced a crisis unlike any our industry had ever seen.
With May, American is tapping someone with more than two decades of experience working with some of the company’s key leaders and managing airline finances. He started in 2000 at Continental before moving to America West in 2002. May will assume the CFO role effective Jan. 1. He was previously the senior vice president of finance and investor relations.
America West was run by American Airlines chairman Doug Parker. Parker guided that company into a merger with U.S. Airways and then into another merger with American Airlines to create the conglomeration that is based in Fort Worth today.