Brad Tilden is president and chief executive officer of Alaska Airlines and Alaska Air Group which is the parent company of Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier Horizon Air. On May 15, 2012 Tilden replaced Bill Ayer as the company's chief executive officer. As a young student Tilden's love of airplanes began on a field trip to the airport where he saw his first Boeing 727. After graduating from Highline High School in 1979 Tilden enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University. Originally planning on becoming a teacher Tilden eventually became interested in business and would earn a degree in business administration and accounting. Following graduation Tilden worked for eight years at the accounting firm Price Waterhouse at its offices in Seattle, Washington and Melbourne, Australia. In 1991 Tilden interviewed and was hired by Alaska Airlines. In 1997 he would earn his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Washington. On July 14, 2012 former Alaska Air Group's CEO Bill Ayer announced that he would be stepping down and named Tilden as his replacement. 

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