Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge Announces Private Sector Senior Advisory Committee Members

Release Date: 12/08/03 00:00:00

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 8, 2003

Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge is pleased to announce the appointment of the following individuals to serve on the Private Sector Senior Advisory Committee (PVTSAC) of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC).

Secretary Ridge established the PVTSAC as a subcommittee of the Homeland Security Advisory Council to provide the HSAC with expert advice from leaders in America's private sector on homeland security issues.

Kathleen M. Bader, of Michigan, is a Business Group president with Dow Chemical Company and is the Chair of the PVTSAC.  She is also the corporate Vice President for Quality and Business Excellence for Dow.  She joined the company in 1973 and has held a variety of positions in sales and operations.  Bader previously served on the President's Homeland Security Advisory Council and is now a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

Herb Kelleher, of Texas, is a Founder of Southwest Airlines Co. and is currently its Executive Chairman, a position he has held since March, 1978.  He will serve on the Homeland Security Advisory Council and as the Vice Chair of the PVTSAC.  From September 1981 through June 2001, Kelleher also served as President and CEO of Southwest Airlines. Kelleher is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the U. S. Chamber Business Leadership Hall of Fame; CEO of the Year, and "CEO of the Century."

Steve Burd, of California, is the President and Chief Executive Officer for Safeway Inc.   Prior to joining Safeway, Mr. Burd was a management consultant and helped CEO's in more than a dozen companies specializing in consumer products, manufacturing, retailing, oil and gas, and agricultural sectors, turn around their companies' financial performance and business prospects.

Jack Skolds, of Illinois, is the Executive Vice President of Exelon Generation; President and Chief Nuclear Officer of Exelon Nuclear; and the Chief Executive Officer of AmerGen, a partnership between Exelon and British Energy.  Prior to his current positions, Skolds was the General Manager of Station Operations at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Plant with South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G).  Skolds is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

Rick Stephens, of Washington, is President of Shared Services Group, Senior Vice President of The Boeing Company and a member of the Boeing Executive Council.  He previously served as Boeing's Vice President and General Manager, Homeland Security and Services for Integrated Defense Systems.  Stephens was given the National Management Association Gold and Silver Knight and Excellence in Leadership Awards.  

George Vradenburg, of Washington, DC, is President of the Vradenburg Foundation, which supports capacity-building efforts in arts & culture, health, education and security. Until recently, Vradenburg served as Strategic Advisor for AOL Time Warner where he was also named Executive Vice President for Global and Strategic Policy. Prior to joining AOL Time Warner, Vradenburg served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of CBS and as Executive Vice President of Fox. He currently co-chairs the Potomac Conference Task Force on Emergency Preparedness for the Greater Washington Region.  

Houston Williams, of California, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Pacific Network Supply, Inc. which he founded in 1987. He has over four decades of technology, management and executive expertise in the telecommunications and information technology industry. Prior to PNS, Williams served as District Manager at Pacific Bell and held senior management positions at Honeywell Communications.

Jack Williams, of Florida, is President and Chief Operating Officer of Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises. Prior to joining Royal Caribbean, Williams was an executive with American Airlines where he worked since 1972.  Williams won the 1994 "Breath of Life Award", the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

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