AL FELDMAN 1971 - 1980 PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER DEN Committed suicide with a gun at LAXCO HQS after leaving FL to take top job there. -Jake Lamkins (4/18/99) Al Feldman, Died August 9, 1981, Los Angeles, CA. I can mail you some copies of articles if you are interested, but will need your mailing address. -Ken Schultz (4/24/99) Trophies and Awards at the National Air and Space Museum Aviation Week and Space Technology Laureates Award 1972 Al Feldman, Frontier Airlines president, who took over in early 1971 without prior airline experience, for leading the local service carrier to its first profitable January-September period since 1967. (Found on the Internet 6/21/99) Frontier News Published for Frontier Airlines Employees September 1981 In Memoriam A. L. Feldman, former president and chief executive officer of Frontier Airlines. died Aug. 9. Feldman joined Frontier in March 1971, serving as president and chief executive officer until January 1980, when he was named president and chief executive officer of Continental Airlines. Prior to joining Frontier he served 17 years with Aerojet-General Corporation, two of the years as president of Aerojet Nuclear Systems Company. He held a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University. He was married to the former Rosemily Petrison, who died in 1980. Their son John is a scheduler in the materiel division of Frontier; David is an engineer for Phasecom in Los Angeles; and Susan is a student in La Jolla, Calif. "Al Feldman has been a close personal friend as well as a business associate for many years," said Glen Ryland. "Like all his friends, I am terribly shocked and saddened by his untimely death. I know the loss of Rosemily last year was a severe blow to him and to his children. His contributions to the aerospace industry and the airlines are tremendous." Continental Airline chief found dead LOS ANGELES (AP) - A.L. Feldman, 53, the president of embattled Continental Airlines, was found dead Sunday night at his Los Angeles International Airport office, apparently a suicide victim, according to the director of airport operations, John Smith. Smith said a gun was found in Feldman's executive suite and that Feldman apparently had shot himself. Julian Levine, a spokesman for Continental, told The Associated Press, "Yes, he's dead, but I can't say any more than that. We have a police situation here, and you'll just have to check back." Los Angeles Police Department Detective Gary Guthrie said, "We have a telephoned confirmation that an A.L. Feldman has been shot. The incident apparently look place shortly before 8 p.m., Smith said, adding he did not know who found Feldman's body. "I understand - this is not official - that he left three suicide notes," Smith said. "They basically stated that he lost his wife recently and had the intimation that life wasn't worth living." Feldman presided at a May meeting where a bid by Texas International Airlines to take over Continental was rejected. Texas International Senior Vice President Phil Bakes, whose airline had already purchased a large block of Continental stock, came to the Denver meeting to attempt to block the employee-purchase plan. But Feldman ruled Bakes' motion out of order, to the cheers of a crowd of 1,200 who packed the ballroom of the Brown Palace hotel. -Rocky Mountain News (8/10/81) Ref. Al Feldman. The SSDI shows a Alvin H. Feldman with a Death date of January 1981, which several employees have questioned from time to time. It appears that this is another Alvin Feldman, and that the Al Feldman we knew never had his death info given to the SSDI. -Ken Schultz (5/12/04) Thanks for the info, Ken. I double checked my records and your database. They all show Feldman's date of death correctly as 8/9/81. I have found an interesting account of his death in a book. I will send you a copy as soon as I can scan it. His full name, by the way, was Alvin Lindbergh Feldman. -Jake Lamkins (5/12/04) I worked as assistant general counsel to Charlie Murphy in Washington, DC. Al Feldman was our "boss," so to speak and a beloved man. He always told me that the big "F" on the planes stood for Feldman. I still miss him. It was a great carrier. It was a great time...... -Annette Appollo (5/26/05) I'm attaching a picture of Al that I've always loved. He hated when I walked in, because it always meant he was going to hear that dreaded clicking of the shutter, but, hey, I took some brilliant pictures of him. This one, attached here, was taken four months before his suicide. As I understood it, Al hired Charlie (Murphy) as general counsel right after he became CEO of FL. That was long before my time, but he brought Charlie in after he left his post of Chairman at the Civil Aeronautics Board. (I can't believe I'm remembering all these little details - who knew they were still in my head?) So, you can date Charlie's time with FL approximately at the beginning of Al's tenure there. Charlie stayed on after Al left for Continental. It was one of the lowest points in my life the day I had to call Charlie to tell him of Al's death. They had quite the father-son relationship. -Annette Appollo (7/27/05) Posted at the FL Club: AL FELDMAN 1971 - 1980 PRESIDENT & CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD DEN http://Lamkins.tripod.com/Al_Feldman.txt Five more items posted. -Jake Lamkins (12/1/09) That update on Al Feldman's page brought back a really fun memory. He got off a 580 at JAC that I met and stuck out his hand for a shake and said "Hi, I'm Al Feldman" as if I didn't recognize him so I stuck mine out and said "Hi, I'm Ron Abfalter" as if he didn't recognize me. LOL He was a good man for sure. FAL lost a lot when he departed. -Ron Abfalter (12/2/09) After Al left FL and was at CO, he flew into DEN on the CO corporate jet and parked at the Bob Six hangar. Instead of going over to CO first he walked down the ramp at FL. He spent time with everyone and it was an incredible moment to see an airline leader like no other talking to his FL friends first. His tragic death was a sad sad day. -Mike White (3/16/10) Posted at FLacebook and the FL Club: DEN president Al Feldman's memorial webpage has been updated. http://Lamkins.tripod.com/Al_Feldman.html Eight items added to his webpage. -Jake Lamkins (9/23/12) He was a great president and for sure turned FL around in a time when we needed it. He would have made a great president of this country. Did anyone record his speech to the board of directors when he took over as president? Ken Wientjes (1/30/13) ALVIN "AL" L. FELDMAN DEN 6th Frontier Airlines Pres Died Aug 9, 1981, age 53, at Los Angeles, CA DOB Dec 14, 1927 DOH Mar 8, 1971 per Ken Schultz' We Remember database. -Jake Lamkins (4/25/16) FLacebook - FL Club FLight West: Al Feldman DEN president Al Feldman's memorial webpage has been updated: http://LAMKINS.tripod.com/Al_Feldman.html 13 items added and webpage updated. -Jake Lamkins (4/29/16) Big Al as he introduced himself to me on a trip to VEL. -Coy Preece (4/29/16) I was at FL HQ 1967-1980 and have nothing but fond memories of Al Feldman. He was the best thing that happened for those of us who worked there during his tenure. When he left FL for CO, combined with the advent of deregulation it got some of us to begin thinking of another career including myself. We missed his leadership. When entering Al's office, one of the first things you would see on the wall was a caricature of two vultures sitting on a tree branch with a caption reading "Patience, My Ass - I'm Gonna Kill Something!" His "Management by Commitment" business model became my model for life with both work and family. Basically it was no excuses for missed commitments. We were both in Montreal for the annual ASTA Congress (American Society of Travel Agents). Al was a featured speaker and ASTA provided him with a suite of rooms for a week at the Bonaventure Hotel. After his talk he told me that he was returning to Denver and that my family and I should move into this "free" suite. At check-out time I learned that there was a substantial amount of food and beverage charges on the bill that he conveniently did not tell me about. This was his way of saying "surprise". The Suite was also convenient for me to visit with family and friends since I went to school in Montreal for 4 years. Al, along with Ken Stemler and Gail Godbey developed several Vacation Excitement Golf Tournaments to host and thank Frontier customers. Al did not want a bunch of FL employee-golfers to organize and manage the events and made certain that non-golfers were involved tending to business. I was one of the non-golfers and had a great time. Al was the featured speaker at the Old West Trail convention in RAP and recall being seated a couple of rows behind Al and his wife having some good conversation on the return flight to DEN. Prior to deregulation, travel agent revenue and loyalty was paramount to the bottom line. Al recognized this and developed informal Advisory Boards. The meetings lasted 2-4 hour with selected travel agents and wholesalers. He wanted to hear first-hand what they thought about FL, good and bad. He wanted to know what other airlines were doing that FL was not. And he served them FL's standard steak & lobster meal + Mateus wine, to experience FL's inflight service fare. In closing I have to thank Al who was indirectly responsible for my creating my own rewarding business in later years by developing and managing 14 Travel Industry Advisory Boards for 13 years 1993-2006. Al was actually a gentle person and will always be missed. You remember good leaders and try try to forget the rest. -Ron Beaumont Director Travel Industry & Interline Affairs, Oct. 1980 Manager Tour Sales in 1967 (5/1/16) Ron, I totally agree with you re Al. He was the best boss and professor that I ever had. I have used MBC in all of my jobs. Al sent me a copy of the vultures that I have displayed on my office walls since 1980. -Ken Gann Director Marketing Eastern Division 1980 (5/14/16) Posted at FLacebook posting of Frontier 737 flying past Shiprock: I remember when my dad, Ken Coggeshall, had to take a medical retirement in 1980. He and my Mom were in Denver in Mr. Feldman’s office. Mr. Feldman had that exact photo on the wall in his office, and my Mother told him how much she loved it!! His comment was, “You do??”.... and something to the effect that he’d make sure she got it! It arrived at my parent’s house, shortly thereafter, in Irving, Texas!!!!! For all I know, maybe he did that for everyone that retired, but we all thought that was incredibly nice of Mr. Feldman. I never met the gentleman, but I DO know that my dad sure liked and respected the man! I’ve never forgotten that kind gesture, and that’s what I think of every time I see that picture! -Kerrie Coggeshall Wasinsky (3/29/18) FLacebook post on Mar 8, 2021 Jake Lamkins shared a link. Mar 8 in Frontier History 1971 Al Feldman becomes FL’s 6th President Marie Rust He sat with me on the jump seat and asked lots of questions on improving our service. Best president. It was a sad, sad day when he left and even sadder when he he died. Tony Nobles Al was a great guy. He was also a great president. Pamella Frank Corvelli The best!! Bill Buse I remember hearing when he was new at Frontier he spent a day with the mechanics in the hangar and watched them do an engine change on a 737. William Delaney He came to the ticket counter and Gates. Spoke with us individually and in groups, none of us believed he committed suicide. Marie Franco Very nice and professional man. Very good on how to treat and appreciate all the employees. Rest in peace sir. Patty Hughes Smith Had him on my flight after just getting new uniforms. (Not hot pants onesie). He asked me how I liked them and I pointed out my orange coat arrived with a big hole in pocket. The next day my supervisor called me in to receive a brand new coat!!! Wow. Pays to be honest. Trish Swanson-Hawk He sincerely cared about us and the airline, so many great stories about him. Joe Aguirre Right after we started he came and sat with me. I had just gotten a position in Technical Services. He asks all kind of questions, mostly on thethe way the prop function and engine efficiency. I knew he was after the cost of a gallon fuel per seat mile. Evenly he liked my answer. I liked the man in that he mentioned the subject of employees feelings. He wanted to know every function of each employee. He did not deserve the ending he had. R. I. P. Mr. Feldman Mark Fitzwater He was a great president. Unfortunately, his death began Frontier's decline. Duane Hollis When I was employed with FL as Supervisor of Schedule Production, I would update FLs Route Map behind his desk. Robin Akens I always worked overtime in Reservations, it seemed as though he and I caught the same elevator up in the AM and down in the PM quite often. He was always very nice. Christina Bonatti He was great Jan Lefler He was the BEST. Mary Seefluth Yes he was! Remember how we had to answer every complaint that came in daily? He would come by and ask us if we were going to get them done! We always did. Never mind working late when he asked! He was the best of the best! Kathi Goff I has so much respect for this man! Dennis O. Van Dyke He was great! (3/9/21) Jake Lamkins updated the FLacebook group cover photo on 11/10/21 with a photo of Al's gravestone Carol Bartley Very, Very sad Family, sad outcomes. He was a genius. J. Eric Hammersmark Thank You. Everyone had so much respect for Him and his Family. Such a great loss, sooo young. Liz Gomez Thank you, for sharing this! Very interesting! Rae Tafoya I remember when he passed. Sue Beckham What a loss. Jan Lefler What a loss he was, he was so good and kind. Janice Gassett ...still so sad to think about. Mary Robertson Harter How sad! I remember that many of us refused to think it was suicide, but that Lorenzo was responsible. Steve Tidler Lorenzo was and is responsible! Pam Frank Corvelli And we all knew it. Jake Lamkins Al's webpage has 3776 hits which is the most of any of our 2254 Frontier memorial webpages. Vanessa McClintock Great man! Christina Bonatti Loss for sure. (11/10/21) Joy May He was the best for sure!! Always had time to say hi & always knew your name!!! The best!!!!!! (11/11/21) William Hoermle I started in res when I was 19 years old in April 78. Al Feldman came up to my workstation and introduced himself to me. That was really cool! Kathie Ott Weisiger Miracle worker. Carl Lorenzen Al Feldman was a good man. I can’t recall everyone that was in his office during the discussion on base closings and commuting, but I know Bob Huddleston was there. We were talking about FAs and Pilots commuting to DEN when Al said a good employee would be a good employee no matter where they lived. As a result of his being a commuter to LAX, all crew members received a commuter card with fees waived. As long as there were open seats in the cabin, there was no limit on the number of jump seats available. (11/12/21)