Pan Am clipper, Vol. 22, No. 23, November 22, 1971

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“With the election of Mr. Seawell we have placed an experienced airline executive in control of the airline functions on a day-to-day basis. Mr. Seawell’s primary mission is to return the airline to profitability and he has been given all the authority and resources essential to do it.”
New York—The Board of Directors of Pan American World Airways has elected William T. Seawell as president and chief operating officer and a director.
The announcement was made by Najeeb E. Halaby, who relinquishes his title as president but continues as chairman and chief executive officer. The news was released to the press on Nov. 16, following a 3*4 hour board meeting.
Seawell will report to Halaby and will have direct responsibility for all the operating functions of the airline.
To accept the Pan Am position, Seawell
has resigned as president of Rolls-Royce Aero Engines, Inc. and chairman of the board of Rolls-Royce, Canada. He will join Pan Am officially on December 1.
Said Halaby: “With the election of Mr. Seawell we have placed an experienced airline executive in control of the airline functions on a day-to-day basis. Mr. Sea-well’s primary mission is to return the airline to profitability and he has been given all the authority and resources essential to do it.”
William T. Seawell, 53, is the fourth president in Pan Am’s history. Each of
his predecessors eventually became chairman and chief executive officer of the airline.
All presidents except founder Juan T. Trippe assumed the presidency in their fifties. Trippe was still in his late twenties when he became president. He held the title until 1964.
Harold E. Gray, the tenth pilot hired by Trippe, became president on July 7, 1964. He was 58 at the time.
Najeeb E. Halaby, then 52, was elected president on May 7, 1968.

V V ILLIAM T. SEAWELL has extensive background in civil and military aviation.
Before joining Rolls-Royce, he served as senior vice president-operations for American Airlines, with responsibility for the maintenance, engineering, and flight departments, which included nearly half the .airline's woikJorce. He Joined ..the company in 1965 as vice president-operations planning and later held the position of vice president for flight.
From 1963 to 1965, Seawell held the post of vice president-operations and engineering of the Air Transport Association of America.
From 1961 to his 1963 retirement as brigadier general in the United States Air Force, Seawell served as commandant of cadets of the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
He also served as the military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force and to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.
His 22-year military career brodght numerous citations for service, including the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters,-the Presidential Unit Citation with oak leaf clusters and the French Croix de Guerre with palms.
During World War II, Seawell commanded the 401st Bombardment Group in England, and later the Strategic Air Command's 11th Bomb Wing at Fort Worth, Texas.
The new Pam Am president served on the advisory council of the commanding general, U.S. Army Air Force from 1945 to 1946, and later on the military staff committee of the United Nations.
Seawell is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and Harvard Law School.
Both natives of Pine Bluff, Ark., Seawell and his wife, the former Judith Alexander, have two children, Alexander Brooke and Anne Crichton, and reside in New York City.