Frontier Airlines (Nasdaq: FRNT ) today named Michael J. Bowers as vice president, customer service and station operations, effective Aug. 14. Bowers, 43, replaces Red Barringer, the airline`s current vice president of customer service and station operations, who plans to retire Sept. 1. In his new position, Bowers will oversee the airline`s customer service programs and station functions, and will report directly to Frontier President Sam Addoms.

Mike brings extensive customer service and station operations experience to Frontier, ” said Addoms. “He has been involved in key initiatives designed to solve the challenges service companies face today, and also involved with planning for the future of service in the airline industry. Certainly Red Barringer`s nearly 50 years of airline experience will be greatly missed at Frontier. We are extremely grateful to Red for his service to Frontier and wish him godspeed as he transitions into a well-earned retirement.

Bowers brings 28 years of aviation and travel industry experience to Frontier, and most recently served as director of customer service for Seattle-based Horizon Air, overseeing the operations of 36 stations and 700 employees in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. He also served as the airline`s regional director of customer service and manager of customer service. Prior to this, Bowers spent 10 years with Alaska Airlines as customer service manager, ground operations supervisor and ramp service agent. He holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration, with an emphasis in human resources, from Central Washington University and is currently enrolled in an executive MBA program at the University of Washington. Bowers and his wife Patty have two sons, Tyler, age seven, and Casey, age six. The family currently lives in Kent, Wash. and plans to relocate to Denver. Bowers is originally from Salem, Ore.

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