Daniel Elwell
Director at ALK
Board
About Daniel Elwell
Daniel K. Elwell, age 65, has served on Alaska Air Group’s board since 2021. He is President of Elwell & Associates, LLC and formerly served as Deputy and Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), overseeing the world’s largest aerospace system and the NextGen air traffic control modernization program; he is an independent director and sits on the Safety and Innovation Committees . Elwell holds a B.S. from the U.S. Air Force Academy and is a former military and commercial pilot .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Aviation Administration | Deputy and Acting Administrator | 2017–2020 | Oversaw U.S. airspace safety and efficiency; NextGen modernization oversight |
| Airlines for America (A4A) | SVP, Safety, Security & Operations | 2013–2015 | Industry safety/security leadership |
| Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) | Vice President | 2008–2013 | Policy and industry advocacy |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joby Aviation, Inc. | Advisory Board Member | Current | Advisory capacity (public company) |
| Asylon Robotics, Inc. | Advisory Board Member | Appointed 2021 | Drone security advisory |
| Dedrone Holdings, Inc. | Advisory Board | 2021–2024 | Airspace security advisory |
| PARSEC Acquisition | Board Member | 2022–2024 | SPAC in space/transport/advanced tech |
| AFCO/AVPorts | Board/Advisor | Current | Airport infrastructure roles |
| SAAB, Inc., USA SSA Board | Board/Advisor | Current | Defense/aviation advisory |
| Alaska Airlines & Horizon Air (subsidiaries) | Board Service | Current | Subsidiary boards of ALK |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Safety (member) and Innovation (member). Chairs: Safety—Helvi K. Sandvik; Innovation—James A. Beer .
- Independence: The board determined Elwell and all committee members are independent under NYSE and company standards (9 of 10 nominees independent) .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 5 times in 2024; Safety met 4; Innovation met 3. Each director attended at least 75% of applicable meetings, and all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership and executive sessions: Independent non-executive Board Chair presides; independent directors hold quarterly executive sessions; each committee also holds quarterly executive sessions .
- Oversight focus: Safety Committee monitors passenger/employee safety, aviation security, environmental policies, and advises Compensation Committee on safety metrics; Innovation Committee oversees technology/innovation strategy, resource allocation, and technology trends (including safety impacts) .
- AI and cybersecurity oversight: Board committees oversee AI usage and cybersecurity risk management .
- Director stock ownership guideline: 6x annual cash retainer; all non-employee directors met the guideline as of Dec. 31, 2024 .
- Trading and alignment policies: Directors prohibited from hedging and pledging Alaska stock; insider trading policy restricts speculative transactions .
Fixed Compensation
2024 director compensation (non-employee director):
| Component | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $90,043 |
| Stock Awards | $139,957 (3,191 DSUs granted in May 2024 per prior-year deferral election) |
| All Other Compensation | $14,981 (complimentary positive-space travel benefits and Mileage Plan miles with associated tax reimbursements) |
| Total | $244,981 |
- Board-wide structure (effective 2024): Annual cash retainer $90,000; annual stock retainer $140,000; chair retainers—Audit $30,000; Compensation $25,000; Governance/Safety/Innovation $20,000; additional $150,000 for non-executive Board Chair; Hawaiian Holdings subsidiary board chair $20,000. Directors may elect DSUs for stock retainer; DSUs are vested at grant and paid in shares upon board departure .
Performance Compensation
No performance-based compensation elements (e.g., PSUs, options, cash incentives) are disclosed for non-employee directors; directors do not hold outstanding stock options and do not participate in non-equity incentive plans .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Type | Role | Potential interlock/conflict notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joby Aviation, Inc. | Public | Advisory Board | Emerging eVTOL; no related-party transactions disclosed with ALK |
| Asylon Robotics, Inc. | Private | Advisory Board | Drone security; no related-party transactions disclosed |
| Dedrone Holdings, Inc. | Private | Advisory Board (past) | Airspace security; tenure ended 2024 |
| PARSEC Acquisition | SPAC | Board (past) | Space/transport SPAC; tenure ended 2024 |
| AFCO/AVPorts | Private | Board/Advisor | Airport operations; no related-party transactions disclosed |
| SAAB, Inc., USA SSA Board | Private | Board/Advisor | Defense/aviation; no related-party transactions disclosed |
| ALK subsidiaries (Alaska, Horizon) | Private | Board service | Subsidiary boards |
- Related-party screen: ALK reports no transactions requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) since Jan 1, 2024 .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive experience in airline/transportation safety, climate/carbon, government/regulatory, and technology per skills matrix; strategy competency emphasized .
- Education: B.S., U.S. Air Force Academy .
- Professional highlights: Oversight of FAA NextGen modernization; senior safety/security roles at A4A; industry policy leadership at AIA; former military and commercial pilot .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 10,479 shares (includes DSUs issuable upon board departure) |
| DSUs outstanding (aggregate) | 8,388 units included in beneficial ownership total |
| Ownership as % of outstanding shares | Less than 1% |
| Options held | None (directors do not hold outstanding stock options) |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited by policy |
| Compliance with director ownership guideline | Met as of Dec. 31, 2024 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths for board effectiveness: Deep aviation safety and regulatory expertise aligned with Safety Committee remit; independent status; regular executive sessions; robust stock ownership requirements; prohibition on hedging/pledging; and strong attendance record across board/committees .
- Incentive alignment: Director compensation is primarily fixed cash and vested stock/DSUs with deferral elections, supporting long-term alignment without short-term performance risk; no options or incentive pay for directors .
- Potential conflicts/monitoring items: Advisory roles with aviation/drone/eVTOL companies (Joby, Asylon, Dedrone) warrant routine conflict checks as ALK pursues innovation and safety technology partnerships; ALK reports no related-party transactions requiring disclosure for 2024 .
- Shareholder policies and transparency: Clear insider trading, ownership, and governance policies; board committees oversee AI and cybersecurity; quarterly oversight cadence across committees .