News Releases

Airline hires 35-year travel industry veteran to lead IT

CALGARY, May 2, 2014 /CNW/ - WestJet is pleased to announce the appointment of Rocky Wiggins to the position of Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer, effective June 2, 2014.

Rocky Wiggins joins WestJet from Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines where he has held the position of Chief Information Officer since 2012. Prior to his work with Sun Country, he was Senior Vice-President and Chief Information Officer at AirTran Airways, and before that Vice-President responsible for Delivery Management at Sabre Airline Solutions, which makes the airline platform used by WestJet. He also held various positions over a 20-year career with US Airways.

"On behalf of our 10,000 WestJetters, it is a pleasure to welcome Rocky to the WestJet family," said Gregg Saretsky, WestJet President and CEO. "Our information technology systems play a pivotal role in our ability to evolve and grow in the highly competitive airline space, and we look forward to having Rocky on board to lead us in this critical area. His extensive airline experience and his expertise with Sabre are tremendous assets to our information technology team and WestJet as a whole.

"I thank Cheryl Smith for her many accomplishments as CIO since she joined us in 2011," continued Gregg Saretsky. "Although she was originally slated to be on contract with us for two years, we are grateful Cheryl was able to stay with us until now as we built up capabilities on many IT fronts."

"I look forward to joining the WestJet team," said Rocky Wiggins. "I have watched the WestJet story unfold with great interest and I am eager to be a part of this great culture and the many growth opportunities on the horizon."

Rocky Wiggins studied physics at Guilford University and engineering at Western Kentucky University, and has an MBA from Wake Forest University. He and his wife Kathleen will relocate from Georgia to Calgary.

About WestJet

We are proud to be Canada's most-preferred airline, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers.  We offer scheduled service to more than 85 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 120 destinations in more than 20 countries.  Leveraging WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more.  Our members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods ̶ even on seat sales.  For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes:

2014 Value Airline of the Year (Air Transport World magazine)
2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most Attractive Employer (Randstad)
2013 Highest equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima EquiTrend Study)
2013 Gold Stevie Award Best Transportation Company (American Business Awards)
2013 Chairman's Circle Award: WestJet Vacations (CPSC)
2013 Canada's Most Preferred Airline (Leger Marketing)
2013 WestJet RBC MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (Money Sense magazine)

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SOURCE WestJet

Image with caption: "Rocky Wiggins will join WestJet as its new Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer on June 2, 2014. (CNW Group/WestJet)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140502_C6335_PHOTO_EN_39871.jpg