L E T T E R F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T
It ’ s Always Been About Family
Kenmore Air recently received the Legacy Award from the “ Puget Sound Business Journal .” On hand to receive the award ( left to right ): Todd Banks Allison Russell , Kylie Russell , Olivia Banks , Leslie Banks , Tim Banks , Jayne Banks , Mason Banks , Hunter Banks and Gregg Munro .
I
’ M NOT SURE THAT MY grandfather , Bob Munro , knew his one airplane company would stand the test of time .
Bob and two friends started Kenmore Air in 1946 . As one milestone turned into another , and then another , he must ’ ve known that what he started would have staying power . For the past 76 years , Kenmore Air has proven the test of time and now owns the distinction of being the largest float plane company in the United States . It took vision , perseverance and a commitment to family . And by family , I ’ m talking about both immediate and extended family , which includes our customers and employees . Treat everyone like family and you have a recipe for long-term success . That ’ s been Kenmore Air ’ s mantra from Day One and it continues today .
Recently , our “ family ” was awarded the Legacy Award from the “ Puget Sound Business Journal ” at the 2022 Family Business Symposium . Held in March at the Four Seasons , it was a special occasion where Kenmore Air was the recipient of the Legacy Award , one of five “ honorees ” at the ceremony . At the event , 55 family-owned businesses were represented and of those 50 qualified as Listmakers . The remaining five were awarded individual awards . On hand to receive the Legacy Award were my wife and three children ; my sister and her daughter ; my parents ; and my uncle . Including my grandparents , that ’ s four generations that have all worked to build upon my grandfather ’ s vision .
It was an honor to have all of our family recognized . Seated together I looked around and took in the moment and thought about what it means to run a successful family business . Certainly , it takes a lot of work and sacrifice , but it also takes having good people work for you . It was equally satisfying to have several of our company ’ s key managers join us at the awards ceremony . Without them , and the people who work for them , I ’ m not sure we would ’ ve been so fortunate . And for that , my immediate family thanks our extended family .
As with any business we are constantly looking for ways to grow and get better at what we do . Recently we hired Dave Gudgel as the company ’ s Chief Operating Officer . Dave was past CEO of Clipper Vacations and brings with him a wealth of experience in the travel industry . I ’ m excited to see how Dave ’ s knowledge and experience will synergize with our fabulous management kenmore air photo team to foster organic growth .
Along with bringing Dave into the Kenmore family , we recently implemented a new ticketing software system . The goal is to make your ticketing purchasing more user-friendly . Admittedly , it was a rough go for us non-millennials and anyone who might not be as computer savvy as say someone like the fourth generation of our family who are now working here like my niece ( Kylie ) and three children ( Olivia , Mason and Hunter ). The under-forty crowd instinctively gets the technology and with their patience and guidance helped guide us through the changeover . Now , our ticketing software will allow us to connect with other travel partners such as Alaska Airlines . For our frequent fliers , it makes managing your Quicktix online much easier . So far the customer response has been great . For those of you who book your flights online , or still pick up the phone and call , we are better positioned to serve you and make your experience even more seamless . And for anyone who had troubles while we were working out the kinks , thank you for your patience .
This is just another step toward keeping our airline moving in the right direction , one that will always keep our customers and employees as the primary focus of a “ family first ” business . And while it might sound like a cliché we really do strive to treat you like family . That ’ s the way it ’ s always been since 1946 and it will always be that way for as long as my family is sitting in the cockpit .
Thank you for flying with us .
12 explore : NW | The Official Magazine for kenmore air