Wow! I open up the Blog and there's a picture of me and my wonderful mom! The best thing I've ever done is to take her advice and interview to become a flight attendant at Southwest (in '84 not '81). I'm so proud to still be a part of our wonderful Southwest family. But I'm even MORE proud to be Ann Williamson's oldest daughter! Happy Mother's Day to my sweet mom and all the other moms out there!
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Tears were shed, brackets were broken, and hometown pride was rampant. As predicted, this year’s Destination Bracket was unpredictable. We may have seen the BIGGEST UPSET in Destination Bracket History for the first round of the tournament. Austin, the Texan underdog, shocked us all with its big win over the foodie famous New York City in the ‘Eat’ matchup. Vegan breakfast tacos and the spicy chile con queso were a slam dunk with fans while New York City’s foodie fandom underestimated its opponent’s fan base and relied too heavily on their iconic delis and pizza parlors.
Not every matchup throughout the tournament was a nail-biting bracket buster as preseason favorite Denver made it out of the first and second round without a bead of sweat. There were some smaller upsets in the semifinals: the so-called ‘Nashvegas’ overcame the actual Las Vegas in the ‘Play’ bracket and international newcomer Montego Bay beat out Belize in the ‘Relax’ bracket.
Austin shocked us again in the semifinal by overtaking Chicago, last year’s Destination Bracket contender that took it all! Chicagoans are still reeling in disbelief that their deep dish failed them in this year’s Destination Bracket. Austin went on to represent the foodies in the semifinals. Austinites cheered their team onto victory over the high-seeded Denver, then securing their spot in the Destination Championship against Montego Bay.
However, Cinderella lost her glass slipper and her winning streak in the final game. Montego Bay’s pristine beaches and blue water slayed on the court. Austin’s weirdness just couldn’t keep up to this relaxing hotspot.
Your brackets may have gone to mush, your destination may have gone home empty-handed, but 15 lucky participants went home with Southwest gift cards. We hope you had as much fun as we did compiling brackets and cheering on destinations. Stay tuned for next year’s Destination Bracket, you never know when your hometown may make a special appearance.
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Southwest Airlines is proud to honor the accomplishments of women around the world, as well as our own Customers and Employees. In honor of Women’s History Month, we would like to recognize the Southwest women that have taken the aviation industry by storm and proven that there is no such thing as a “man’s job.”
Anne Bevier, Senior Director for Planning and Standards
In 1992, Anne Bevier joined Southwest as a Ramp Agent at Dallas Love Field. Anne was the “token female” working out on the ramp. Despite the heavy labor and manual work that comes with being a Ramp Agent, Anne never let stereotypes get in her way and she loved the camaraderie of working in a tight-knit group.
“I proved that I was just as good, strong, and capable as the guys … you just have to work hard and you will gain the respect of your Coworkers,” Anne said.
Anne eventually was promoted and became one of the first female Ramp Supervisors at Southwest. After many years of advancement in operations, Anne now serves as the Senior Director for Planning and Standards. She supports the 15,000 plus Frontline Employees by providing them the tools they need to do their job. Her biggest accomplishment within the past few years has been watching the Team grow and earning their respect not only as a Leader, but also an equal.
As the only female Ramp Agent at Dallas Love Field in 1992, Anne never thought she would grow into the role she is in now. If women are interested in the aviation industry, Anne recommends “getting in the door, pursuing your passion, and letting the industry take you where you should be … not where others think you should be.”
Sherry Staber, Vice President of Business Transformation
Two and a half years ago, Sherry Staber joined the Southwest Team as Vice President of Business Transformation – Corporate Delivery. In this role, Sherry leads the Team that helps deliver the systems needed to support operations whether it is Electronic Flight Bags for Flight Attendants or a software system to ensure airplanes are adequately maintained.
Prior to Southwest, Sherry had worked for many years in two primarily male-dominated industries: manufacturing and technology. After a short stint as an accountant, Sherry landed her first job as a programmer then went on to consulting. Throughout the years, she has taken part in groundbreaking technology projects, including the incorporation of handheld computers into Frito-Lay’s manufacturing process.
During her time in the manufacturing and technology industry, Sherry often witnessed stereotypes about women.
“You would be asked to take notes or be mistaken as an administrator … you just have to show your value and what you can bring,” Sherry said. “Stereotypes usually go away, but make sure [your Team] knows who you are and what you can deliver.”
Both Anne and Sherry demonstrate what women are capable of and that women can do anything they want to do. At Southwest, we are honored to have such hard-working women in all areas of the Company, whether it be on the ramp, at a desk, or piloting a plane! The sky is truly the limit.
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