Three long-time executives to leave US Airways
— -- Three longtime executives are leaving Tempe-based US Airways and the airline industry.
The departures, which are not part of the recent management layoffs at the airline, come on the eve of the third anniversary of the America West/US Airways merger. Each executive came to the merger from America West.
The highest-level exit is that of Joe Beery, chief information officer. He is leaving this month to join California-based Applied Biomedical/Invitrogen as senior vice president and chief information officer, according to the airline's employee newsletter.
Beery joined America West in 1999 as senior director of business-technology delivery. He was promoted to CIO in 2001. After the merger, he oversaw the complicated combination of the airlines' computer systems, including a botched changeover to a reservations system that caused travel chaos in spring 2007.
The airline is searching for a new CIO.
Travis Christ, vice president of sales and marketing and a regular target of the airline's frustrated frequent fliers, is leaving later this month.
He said it is time for a change after more than 10 years with the company he joined as manager of route planning and scheduling. He said it is premature to name his new employer.
Christ will not be replaced. His responsibilities will be assumed by Andrew Nocella, senior vice president of schedule planning and alliances. Nocella's new title will be senior vice president of marketing and planning.
US Airways also said Larry LeSueur, vice president of culture, recruitment and leadership development, is retiring. LeSueur's position was created after the merger in a bid to integrate the different cultures of America West and US Airways. He joined America West in 1984 as a baggage worker.
He will not be replaced, but his recruiting role will be assumed by the airline's vice president of human resources.
The Arizona Republic is owned by Gannett, the parent company of USA TODAY.
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