Monte Ford

Sr. VP & CIO, American Airlines

AMR Corp.

Age: 45

Ford was recruited in 2000 with orders to rebuild the information technology department for the $17.4 billion airline. The senior executive is responsible for information systems organization, all Internet activities, and operations research at the world's largest carrier, with 3,900 daily flights. Central to American Airlines' reinvention since 9-11, Ford's department has an annual operating budget of $158 million through 2007. Prior to working for American Airlines, the Northeastern University graduate served as executive vice president and chief information officer for The Associates First Capital Corp. and as senior vice president of technology at Bank of Boston.

Monte Ford is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at American Airlines and its broader parent company, AMR. He oversees all aspects of the Company’s information technology strategy and operations. Widely regarded as a leader in the field of information technology, Ford joined American Airlines at a time when the airline needed to regain its technological prowess. Ford’s leadership has been critical in restoring American to the forefront of technological innovation – one key element to the long-term success of one of the world’s largest airlines.

Mr. Ford was recently selected one of the 50 Smartest People in Technology, by Fortune magazine and has been chosen multiple times by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America. He has also been selected one of the 50 Most Important African Americans in Technology by Black Engineer on two occasions. A guest writer on several occasions for CIO magazine’s “Total Leadership” column, he has covered topics such as diversity in the technology workforce, vendor management and the role of the CIO. Mr. Ford is the recipient of the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) award recognizing the advancement of information technology, while continuously demonstrating proactive leadership in advancing diversity.

Prior to joining American, Ford held senior management positions with The Associates First Capital Corporation and Bank of Boston. Mr. Ford has served on the boards of two public corporations and is currently on the Board of Directors of Oncor, one of the country’s leading energy transmission and distribution companies. Additionally, he currently serves on the Research Board and CIO Strategy Exchange. He is active in community programs, church leadership, the Baylor-Grapevine Board of Trustees and the Dallas Children’s Medical Center Development Board. Ford has a long history of community involvement in both Dallas and Boston.

Ford earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University in Boston.