Monte Ford
JETBLUE AIRWAYSAbout Monte Ford
Independent director of JetBlue since 2021 (age 65). Former CIO of AMR Corporation (American Airlines Group) with deep technology and airline operations expertise; previously Executive Chair and CEO of Aptean Software and held executive roles at The Associates First Capital Corporation, Bank of Boston, and Digital Equipment Corporation . Determined independent under Nasdaq standards; all directors attended at least 75% of meetings in 2024 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMR Corporation (American Airlines Group) | Chief Information Officer | 2000–2011 | Led airline IT and operations technology |
| Aptean Software | Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer | 2012–2013 | Enterprise business software leadership |
| The Associates First Capital Corporation | Executive management positions | Not disclosed | Financial services IT/operations leadership |
| Bank of Boston | Executive management positions | Not disclosed | Financial services technology roles |
| Digital Equipment Corporation | Executive management positions | Not disclosed | Enterprise technology leadership |
| Research Board, CIO Strategy Exchange | Director/member | Not disclosed | Technology leadership networks |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Information Officer Strategy Exchange | Principal Partner | Current | Technology executive network |
| Akamai Technologies, Inc. | Director | Current | Not disclosed in proxy |
| Iron Mountain Inc. | Director | Current | Not disclosed in proxy |
| Centene Corp. | Director | Current | Not disclosed in proxy |
Board Governance
- Independence and attendance: Independent director; Board held 15 meetings in 2024 and all directors met the ≥75% attendance threshold .
- Committee assignments:
- Airline Safety Committee member (standing committee; 4 meetings in 2024) .
- Previously served on Technology Committee (dissolved in early 2025; 4 meetings in 2024) .
- Not designated an Audit Committee financial expert; those experts are Jewett, Leduc, Menke, Miller, and Mittal .
| Committee | Role | Year | Meetings Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Safety | Member | 2024 | 4 |
| Airline Safety | Member | 2025 | Not stated |
| Technology (dissolved in 2025) | Member | 2024 | 4 |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric ($) | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | 95,000 | 92,917 | Base retainer plus committee fees; Director cash retainer is $80,000; committee membership fees: Audit $15,000; others $10,000 |
| Stock Awards (grant-date fair value) | 134,997 | 134,998 | DSUs/RSUs; annual equity award $135,000; choice of DSUs or RSUs |
| All Other Compensation | 7,583 | 2,013 | Flight benefits; JetBlue provides travel privileges; no gross-ups |
| Total | 237,580 | 229,928 |
Performance Compensation
Directors receive time-based equity (no performance metrics); annual DSUs or RSUs vest after one year; DSUs settle six months post-board departure .
| Grant/Status | Type | Units | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting/Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22, 2023 annual grant | DSUs or RSUs | 16,443 | Included in $134,997 total 2023 stock awards | One-year vest; DSUs deferred to 6 months post-departure |
| Feb 22, 2024 annual grant | DSUs or RSUs | 20,119 | Included in $134,998 total 2024 stock awards | One-year vest; DSUs deferred to 6 months post-departure |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Potential Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Akamai Technologies, Inc. | Internet infrastructure/CDN | Technology oversight expertise for JetBlue; no related-party transactions disclosed involving Ford |
| Iron Mountain Inc. | Information management/storage | No JetBlue related-party transaction disclosed |
| Centene Corp. | Managed care/health insurance | No JetBlue related-party transaction disclosed |
- Related person transactions policy overseen by Audit Committee; only reportable 2024 related person transaction was Director Appointment and Nomination Agreement with the Icahn Group (not involving Ford). Company states “There have been no other related person transactions.”
Expertise & Qualifications
- Aviation, operations/logistics, corporate governance, digital/IT systems, infrastructure, cybersecurity, human capital management; marketing/brand experience .
- Brings airline CIO background, relevant to safety technology and cybersecurity oversight .
Equity Ownership
| Security | Outstanding Units @ 12/31/2023 | Outstanding Units @ 12/31/2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deferred Stock Units (DSUs) | 8,358 | 8,358 | DSUs vest after one year; settlement 6 months after board departure |
| Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | 16,443 (outstanding RSUs at 12/31/2023 for certain directors; Ford had RSUs outstanding) | 20,119 (outstanding RSUs) | Annual director grants; one-year vest |
- Ownership alignment: Non-employee directors must hold 5x annual cash retainer ($400,000) in JetBlue equity; as of Dec 31, 2024, all non-employee directors met or were within the permitted window to meet guidelines .
- Hedging/pledging prohibited for directors .
Governance Assessment
-
Committee impact: Airline Safety membership aligns with Ford’s CIO background and prior technology oversight; supports board effectiveness in safety, cyber, and operational risk supervision .
-
Independence & attendance: Independent under Nasdaq; met attendance policy; strengthens investor confidence in oversight quality .
-
Pay structure: Balanced cash/equity with modest perquisites; no tax gross-ups; equity is time-based—aligns interests but lacks performance linkage typical for directors; stock ownership requirements reinforce alignment .
-
Other boards: Multiple external directorships (Akamai, Iron Mountain, Centene) broaden perspective; no disclosed related-party transactions or pledging—limited conflict signals .
-
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Ford: no related-party transactions, no hedging/pledging, and compliance with director ownership guidelines is adequate at board level .