ALPA’s Executive Vice Presidents
ALPA’s 11 executive vice presidents, along with its four national officers and the ALPA Canada president, make up the Association’s Executive Council, which acts in consultation and cooperation with ALPA’s president in furthering objectives and policies set by the union’s Board of Directors and Executive Board. Learn more about the officers who represent each ALPA pilot election group/sub-group.
The EVP groups and airlines they serve are:
Group A: Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Federal Express, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines
Group B1: Amerijet International, Frontier Airlines, Kalitta Air, PSA Airlines, Ravn Alaska, Sun Country Airlines
Group B2: Air Transport International, Air Wisconsin, Envoy Air, ExpressJet Airlines (Custodianship), Hawaiian Airlines, iAero Airways
Group B3: Breeze Airways, CommuteAir, Endeavor Air, Mesa Air Group, Piedmont Airlines, Western Global Airlines
Group C: Air Inuit,Air Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North Bradley, Cargojet, Flair Airlines, Jazz Aviation, Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd., Morningstar Air Express, PAL Aerospace, PAL Airlines, Pascan Aviation, Perimeter Aviation, Pivot Airlines (Custodianship), Wasaya Airways, WestJet Encore, WestJet Airlines
As of January 1, 2023:
Group A
Capt. Stu Jones, Air Canada
Air Canada Capt. Stu Jones was elected executive vice president, Group A, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Oct. 5, 2023, to fill a vacancy in the position.
Capt. Jones is a Boeing 737 pilot based in Toronto, Ont., where he also holds the office of local council vice chair and captain status rep. In addition, he serves as the pilot group’s External Affairs Committee chair.
Prior to flying for Air Canada, Capt. Jones was a pilot for Sky Regional Airlines where he also acted as a lead organizer for the union. Before flying for Sky Regional, he flew for Jazz Aviation.
Capt. Jones attended the British Columbia Institute of Technology and earned a certificate in negotiation skills from the Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre. He currently resides in Bobcaygeon, Ont., with his wife and two sons.
Capt. Joe Youngerman, Alaska
Alaska Airlines Capt. Joe Youngerman was reelected as executive vice president (EVP), Group A, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Oct. 19, 2022, at the Association’s biennial Board of Directors meeting. His latest two-year term began on Jan. 1, 2023.
Based in San Francisco, Calif., Capt. Youngerman flies the Airbus A320. In addition to his responsibilities as EVP, he also serves as Master Executive Council (MEC) vice chair for his pilot group. Throughout his career, Capt. Youngerman has held important ALPA leadership posts, including MEC chair and secretary-treasurer for the Virgin America pilot group. While flying for Midwest Airlines, he served as ALPA Grievance Committee chair.
Capt. Youngerman attended Embry-Riddle University. He currently resides in Henderson, Nev., with his wife and stepdaughter.
Capt. William L. “Bill” Bartels Jr., Delta
Delta Air Lines Capt. Bill Bartels was reelected executive vice president, Group A, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Oct. 19, 2022, at the Association’s biennial Board of Directors meeting. His latest two-year term began on Jan. 1, 2023.
Based in Detroit, Mich., Capt. Bartels currently flies the Airbus A330. An active pilot advocate, Bartels served as the Delta Master Executive Council (MEC) chair as well as the MEC vice chair for Northwest Airlines (before it merged with Delta in 2009). He also acted as chair and vice chair for Northwest Local Executive Council 20 in Detroit for 12 years. In addition to these responsibilities, he has concurrently served for the past four years as a member of ALPA’s Structure, Services, and Finance Review Committee. He formerly was a member of his pilot group’s Dispute Resolution and Merger committees.
Prior to flying for Delta and Northwest, Capt. Bartels was a pilot for Japan Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, and Pan American World Airways, where he served as an ALPA Hotel Committee member. Early in his career he also flew for Evergreen Int’l Airlines and Amerijet Int’l Airlines, as well as charter and corporate flying.
Capt. Bartels earned a BS in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan. He currently resides in Grosse Ile, Mich., with his wife and daughter.
Capt. William “Bill” Secord, FedEx Express
FedEx Express Capt. Bill Secord was elected executive vice president, Group A, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Oct. 19, 2022, at the Association’s biennial Board of Directors meeting. His two-year term began on Jan. 1, 2023.
Based in Memphis, Tenn., Capt. Secord flies the Boeing MD-11. Throughout his career, he has served on numerous committees, including the President’s Committee for Reduced Crew Operations, the National Cargo Committee, the ALPA National Appeals Board, and the ALPA-PAC Steering Committee. For his pilot group, Capt. Secord chairs the Legislative Affairs Committee and helps oversee the FedEx Pilots’ Charitable Fund.
As an ALPA representative, Capt. Secord has worked with the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations as a member of its Reduced Crew Operations Working Group and its Professional and Government Affairs Committee. He was also the lead ALPA pilot in 2018 on the Alliance to Keep Pilots in the Cockpit.
Prior to flying for FedEx Express, Capt. Secord was a pilot for Trans World Airlines. He also served as chief pilot for Carry-On Trailer and, at the time, was the youngest FAA-designated pilot examiner in the country.
Capt. Secord graduated with a BS in business and commercial aviation from Bob Jones University. He currently resides in Greenville, S.C., with his wife and children.
Capt. Jim Bigham, JetBlue
JetBlue Airways Capt. Jim Bigham was elected executive vice president (EVP), Group A, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Oct. 19, 2022, at the Association’s biennial Board of Directors meeting. His two-year term began on Jan. 1, 2023.
Based in Boston, Mass., Capt. Bigham flies the Airbus A320/A321. Prior to his term as EVP, he chaired his pilot group’s Master Executive Council (MEC). He was also a member of the MEC’s Government Affairs and Pilot-to-Pilot committees, and volunteered with the Critical Incident Response Program. Before serving as a pilot at JetBlue, he flew F-16 fighters for 21 years in the U.S. Air Force.
Capt. Bigham earned a BS in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master of aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He currently resides in Columbia, S.C., with his wife.
Capt. Chris Suhs, Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines Capt. Chris Suhs was appointed as the interim executive vice president, Group A, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, to fill a vacancy in the position. He assumed office on November 8, 2023.
Based in Atlanta, Ga., Suhs flies the Airbus A321 for Spirit Airlines. He continues to serve as Spirit ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC) executive administrator. In his previous employment with Air Wisconsin, Suhs held several union positions including Air Wisconsin MEC chair and chair and vice chair of Local Executive Council 50.
On the national level, Suhs is a member of the Association’s National Hearing Board and previously served on the National Strategic Preparedness and Strike Committee and Master Contingency Fund Review Committee. He also served as ALPA executive vice president for Group B2 while at Air Wisconsin.
Suhs attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and received his flight training in Oshkosh, Wisc. He currently lives in southern Wisconsin with his wife and two boys.
Capt. Christopher Jones, United
United Airlines Capt. Christopher Jones was elected as executive vice president (EVP), Group A, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on June 1, 2023, at a special meeting of the pilot group’s Master Executive Council (MEC). He was elected to fill a vacancy in the position and will complete the remainder of the term of office expiring Dec. 31, 2024
Based in Washington, D.C., Capt. Jones flies the Boeing 767. In addition to his responsibilities as EVP, he also serves as secretary-treasurer for his pilot group’s Local Executive Council (LEC) #11. Prior to flying for United, Capt. Jones was a pilot for PSA Airlines where he held important ALPA leadership posts, including MEC vice chair and LEC #61 first officer representative. He was also a member of the PSA MEC’s Hotel, Membership, and Scheduling Committees.
Capt. Jones attended the University of Central Missouri where he earned a BS in aviation technology. He currently resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife and son.
Group B1
Capt. Richard “Alan” Christie, Frontier
Frontier Capt. Alan Christie was elected executive vice president (EVP), Group B1, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Jan. 11, 2024, filling a vacancy in the position. His term of office ends Dec. 31, 2024.
An Airbus A320/321 captain based in Las Vegas, Nev., Capt. Christie brings a wealth of experience to this post, having previously served as the Frontier Master Executive Council (MEC) chair and secretary-treasurer. In addition, he acted as MEC Communications Committee chair and pilot media liaison.
Capt. Christie was also a member of the group’s Pilot-to-Pilot Committee as well as vice chair of the MEC Strategic Preparedness and Strike Committee (SPSC), and currently serves on ALPA’s National SPSC. Prior to his tenure with Frontier, Capt. Christie flew for Kitty Hawk Air Cargo, America West, Northwest Airlines, and Gemini Air Cargo.
Capt. Christie attended the Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music where he earned a BS in music (piano). He currently resides in Avon, Colo., with his wife.
Group B2
Capt. Douglas “Doug” Grant, Hawaiian
Hawaiian Airlines Capt. Doug Grant was elected executive vice president (EVP), Group B2, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Oct. 19, 2022, at the Association’s biennial Board of Directors meeting. His two-year term began on Jan. 1, 2023.
Based in Honolulu, Hawaii, Capt. Grant flies the Airbus A330. In addition to his duties as EVP, he currently serves as a member of the ALPA National Collective Bargaining Committee and supports his pilot group as chair of its Negotiating Committee and a member of the Retirement & Insurance Committee. He’s also an ALPA representative to the Hawaiian Airlines Retirement and Post Medicare Health Plan Boards.
Capt. Grant previously acted as a Hawaiian Local Executive Council 102 interim first officer representative, Master Executive Council (MEC) Grievance Committee chair and member, MEC Scheduling Committee member, and MEC Negotiating Committee member.
A graduate of the University of Hawaii, Capt. Grant earned a degree in political science. He is a second-generation Hawaiian Airlines pilot and currently lives with his wife and children in Lincolnville, Maine.
Group B3
Capt. Jade Schiewe, Endeavor
Endeavor Air Capt. Jade Schiewe was elected executive vice president, Group B3, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Oct. 19, 2022, at the union’s biennial Board of Directors meeting. His two-year term began on Jan. 1, 2023.
Based in Detroit, Mich., Capt. Schiewe is a Bombardier CRJ900 pilot. He serves his pilot group as its Master Executive Council secretary-treasurer and is a former member of its Professional Standards and Accident Investigation committees. He was also a volunteer for the Critical Incident Response Program.
Prior to flying for Endeavor Air, Capt. Schiewe was a pilot for Pinnacle Airlines as well as a small air-cargo operation, where he also served as a dispatcher.
Capt. Schiewe holds advance degrees in business and aviation business management, and currently lives with his wife and children in Broken Arrow, Okla.
Group C
Capt. Claude Buraglia, Jazz Aviation
Jazz Aviation Capt. Claude Buraglia was elected executive vice president, Group C, of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, on Oct. 19, 2022, at the union’s biennial Board of Directors meeting. His two-year term began on Jan. 1, 2023.
Based in Montreal, QC, Capt. Buraglia is a Bombardier CRJ200/900 pilot. He has served as a member of the Structure, Services, and Finance Review Committee for the Association as well as the Special Compensation Review Committee. Capt. Buraglia supports his pilot group as its Master Executive Council (MEC) chair and has done so for more than 10 years. He was also a member of the MEC’s Negotiating, Scheduling, Crew Requirement, and Grievance committees.
Prior to working for Jazz Aviation, including its predecessor Air Nova, Capt. Buraglia flew for Bearskin Airlines. He also served as a Class II instructor and a Transport Canada–designated flight test examiner.
Capt. Buraglia lives in Montreal, QC, with his wife, Jennifer (a Jazz Embraer E175 captain), and his children.