Former U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt has been appointed as a member of the board of directors by Dallas-based Southwest Airlines.
Blunt has been the chairman of the Leadership Strategies Advisory Services Group in the Washington, D.C. office of Husch Blackwell Strategies, a government affairs advisory firm, since April, Southwest said.
Previously, he was a United States Senator from the State of Missouri (2011 to 2023), and as U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 7th congressional district (1997 to 2011). In the Senate, his committee assignments included the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Operations, and Innovation; the Committee on Intelligence; and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.
“Roy’s leadership as a public servant—most notably in the Senate where he provided critical oversight of the aviation industry in areas of operations and innovation, combined with his background in education, will be a tremendous benefit to our Board,” Gary Kelly, executive chairman of the board for Southwest Airlines, said in a statement. “His knowledge and expertise, along with his broad experience spanning health care, infrastructure, and national security, will add valuable perspectives and thought leadership as we continue to expand and bolster our board with proven, established Leaders. I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Blunt started his career in public service as a high school history teacher before becoming the county clerk and chief election official of Greene County, Missouri. He was the Missouri Secretary of State from 1985 to 1993 and was president of Southwest Baptist University from 1993 to 1996.
Blunt is the current president of the State Historical Society of Missouri and an executive fellow with the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Blunt also chairs the advisory board for the National Geospatial Agency of the U. S. Government.
During his time in the Senate, Blunt supported the travel and tourism industry and as a member of both the Intelligence Committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, he worked to support the U.S. military and intelligence community by ensuring they had needed resources.
With Blunt’s addition, the Southwest Airlines Co. board is made up of 15 diverse professionals with a range of leadership experience, including technology, innovation, business, and education.
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