Brief
The recipient of the 2006 E. Donnall Thomas Medal of Achievement is Alaska Airlines, a commercial carrier that, in collaboration with its employees, has made significant contributions to charitable causes including cancer research.
Alaska Airlines Chairman and CEO Bill Ayer will accept the award at the Thomas Luncheon for Business Leadership to be held Friday, Sept. 29, at the Grand Hyatt Seattle.
The Thomas Medal is named for Center founding member Dr. E. Donnall Thomas, winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for his pioneering achievements in bone-marrow transplantation. Presented annually, the award honors business leaders who, like Thomas, have dedicated their lives to excellence and compassion. The Alaska Airlines corporate-giving program focuses on several areas, including education, medical research and emergency response, and social/community services. Employees follow the lead by giving their own time and money to causes such as cancer-research events and student-mentoring programs. Alaska Airlines serves Athena water, whose net profits support research for women's cancers, on all flights nationwide. The company has served more than 2 million bottles to passengers since 2005.
Alaska Airlines started 70 years ago with one modest route in Alaska and grew to carry more than 12 million customers yearly to more than 40 cities. In addition to carrying more passengers between the state of Alaska and the lower 48 than any other airline, the company pioneers technologies that improve safety and on-time performance.
Since its inception in 1995, the Thomas Award has built upon on a tradition of collaboration between local and regional business leaders and the Center. For more information about this year's Thomas Award Luncheon, visit www.fhcrc.org/thomasawardluncheon.
