David Neeleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Neeleman
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Neeleman in 2015
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| Born | October 16, 1959 São Paulo, Brazil
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| Occupation | Chairman of Azul Brazilian Airlines CEO of Breeze Airways |
| Known for | Commercial airline entrepreneur |
| Spouse(s) |
Vicki Vranes
(m. 1980; div. 2013) |
| Children | 9 |
| Relatives | Zach Wilson (nephew) Hannah Neeleman< (daughter-in-law) |
David Gary Neeleman (born October 16, 1959) is a famous businessman and entrepreneur from Brazil and the United States. He is well-known for starting five different airlines! These include Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, and Breeze Airways. He also used to own a big part of TAP Air Portugal. In 2017, he also became a citizen of Cyprus.
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About David Neeleman
David Neeleman was born in São Paulo, Brazil. He lived there until he was five years old. After that, he grew up in Sandy, Utah, in the United States.
His grandfather, John Neeleman, was born in Utah. His family came from the Netherlands. John Neeleman owned nine convenience stores.
David Neeleman's Career in Airlines
David Neeleman has had an amazing career in the airline world. He has helped create many successful airlines.
Starting Morris Air
In the 1980s, David helped start Morris Air with June Morris. This airline offered low-cost flights. From 1984 to 1988, he was a top leader there.
In 1988, David became the president of Morris Air. In 1993, a bigger airline called Southwest Airlines bought Morris Air. David then worked for Southwest for a few months.
From Open Skies to JetBlue
After leaving Southwest, David became the CEO of Open Skies. This company made cool touch screen systems for booking flights and checking in. Later, Hewlett-Packard bought Open Skies.
Around the same time, David also helped start two new airlines. These were WestJet and NewAir. NewAir later became the very popular airline, JetBlue Airways.
As the CEO of JetBlue Airways, David Neeleman was known for being generous. He gave his entire salary to a special fund. This fund helped JetBlue employees who were going through tough times.
In 2007, David stepped down as CEO of JetBlue. The next year, he also left his role as chairman of the board.
Launching Azul in Brazil
On March 27, 2008, David announced his plans for a brand new airline. This one would be in Brazil, his home country. He named it Azul, which means "blue" in Portuguese.
Azul quickly became very successful. It is now Brazil's largest airline.
New Ventures: Vigzul and TAP Air Portugal
In 2013, David and his youngest brother, Mark James Neeleman, started a new company. It was called Vigzul and focused on home security. David became the chairman of the board for Vigzul.
In 2015, David also became involved with TAP Air Portugal. He partnered with a Portuguese businessman, Humberto Pedrosa. Together, their company bought a large part of the airline. They promised to keep Portugal as a main hub for TAP Air Portugal for many years. Later, the Portuguese government bought back a larger share of the airline.
Breeze Airways: A New US Airline
In 2018, David Neeleman announced plans for another new airline in the United States. He called it Breeze Airways. He raised a lot of money to start it.
Breeze Airways made a deal to buy 60 new A220-300 planes. These planes started to be delivered in 2021.
Views on COVID-19 Lockdowns
David Neeleman had strong opinions about COVID-19 lockdowns. He believed they were not the best solution. In 2020, he helped fund a study. This study looked at how many people had SARS-CoV-2 in Santa Clara County, California. The study was led by a professor who also disagreed with lockdowns.
David Neeleman's Personal Life
David Neeleman is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When he was 19, he served a two-year mission in Brazil.
He has been diagnosed with ADHD. David has 10 children with his former wife, Vicki Vranes. They are now divorced.
His brother, Stephen Neeleman, is a surgeon. He helped start a healthcare company called HealthEquity. David's nephew, Zach Wilson, is a quarterback for the Denver Broncos. His son, Daniel Neeleman, and daughter-in-law, Hannah Neeleman, are well-known for their social media account, Ballerina Farm.
In 2005, David Neeleman received the Tony Jannus Award. This award honors people who have made big contributions to the airline industry. He speaks Portuguese very well. He holds citizenships in Brazil, the U.S., and Cyprus.
See also
In Spanish: David Neeleman para niños
