Bradley Tilden spent his childhood in Huntsville, Alabama, where his father worked for Boeing on the Saturn/Apollo program. In 1973, the family relocated to Seattle, Washington, where his father continued his work with Boeing. Tilden received a bachelor’s degree at Pacific Lutheran College in Tacoma, Washington in accounting and finance, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington. Tilden had also earned a pilot’s license, had dreamed of becoming a professional pilot, but also enjoyed accounting, and knew that accounting would be a much easier profession to enter. He received his CPA and joined Price Waterhouse in 1983. In 1991, he joined Alaska Airlines, quickly working his way up through Controller, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President of Finance and Planning, President, and in 2012, became CEO. Alaska Airlines' roots go back to the commercial airplane boom between the two world wars. Alaska Airlines emerged in 1941 as Alaska Star Airlines, before changing its name in 1944. In the late 1940s, Alaska Airlines became the first airline certified to operate a Douglas DC-3 on skis, and the first airline in Alaska to use rotary wing aircraft. Alaska operated as a regional line during this time, before expanding into cross-country flights in 2001, beginning its boom period. Under Tilden's innovative management, Alaska Airlines has been ranked highest in customer service, and was ranked first for four consecutive years in on-time performance. They were the first airline to sell tickets on the Internet, the first airline to have check-in kiosks, and the first airline to allow check-ins from home. Seattle based Alaska Airlines is now the seventh largest U.S. air carrier, with more than 100 destinations in the contiguous United States, Canada, Mexico, and four Hawaiian Islands. Its reach has grown even further now that the company has merged with Virgin Airlines.
Inducted in 2018.
Portrait Location: Modern Jet

Induction Video