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Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
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Gary Kelly

Vice Chairman & CEO of Southwest Airlines

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Gary Kelly Biography

Gary Kelly serves as the Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Airlines. A 22-year Southwest veteran who became CFO in 1989, Gary has worked closely with Southwest's legendary Cofounder and Chairman Emeritus Herb Kelleher and President Emeritus Colleen Barrett to build the nation's fifth-largest airline—and the undisputed Low-Fare Leader.

Gary began his career at Southwest Airlines as Controller, moving up to Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Finance, then Executive Vice President and CFO, before being promoted to CEO and Vice Chairman in July 2004. Gary assumed the role of Chairman in May 2008 and President in July 2008. Prior to joining Southwest Airlines in 1986, Gary was a CPA for Arthur Young & Company in Dallas and Controller for Systems Center, Inc.

Southwest Airlines is celebrating 36 years of consecutive profitability and was recently named #1 in Customer Satisfaction by the Department of Transportation for the year 2008. For the 13th year in a row, Fortune magazine listed Southwest Airlines among America’s most admired corporations. Gary has received awards and recognitions, including being named one of Business Travel News’ 25 Most Influential Executives of 2004; named a finalist for Texan of the Year by the Dallas Morning News editors for the year 2005; honored with the 4th Annual Friends of Texas Public Schools Friend of the Year Award for 2008; and being named one of the best CEOs in America for 2008 and 2009 by Institutional Investor magazine.

Gary received a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a member of Financial Executives Institute and the Texas Society of CPAs, and he serves on the McCombs School Accounting Advisory Board and the Advisory Council at the University of Texas at Austin. He also serves on the board of the Dallas Citizens Council.

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FAQs
  • How do I book Gary Kelly to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gary Kelly for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gary Kelly, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gary Kelly or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Gary Kelly

    Speaking fees for Gary Kelly, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Gary Kelly are $100,000 - $200,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gary Kelly, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Gary Kelly speak about?

    Gary Kelly is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Leadership Speakers, Virtual Speakers.
  • Where does Gary Kelly travel from?

    Gary Kelly generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Gary Kelly’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Gary Kelly for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gary Kelly for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gary Kelly or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Vice Chairman & CEO of Southwest Airlines

Travels From:
Dallas, TX, USA
Speaking Fee:

Gary Kelly Biography

Gary Kelly serves as the Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Airlines. A 22-year Southwest veteran who became CFO in 1989, Gary has worked closely with Southwest's legendary Cofounder and Chairman Emeritus Herb Kelleher and President Emeritus Colleen Barrett to build the nation's fifth-largest airline—and the undisputed Low-Fare Leader.

Gary began his career at Southwest Airlines as Controller, moving up to Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Finance, then Executive Vice President and CFO, before being promoted to CEO and Vice Chairman in July 2004. Gary assumed the role of Chairman in May 2008 and President in July 2008. Prior to joining Southwest Airlines in 1986, Gary was a CPA for Arthur Young & Company in Dallas and Controller for Systems Center, Inc.

Southwest Airlines is celebrating 36 years of consecutive profitability and was recently named #1 in Customer Satisfaction by the Department of Transportation for the year 2008. For the 13th year in a row, Fortune magazine listed Southwest Airlines among America’s most admired corporations. Gary has received awards and recognitions, including being named one of Business Travel News’ 25 Most Influential Executives of 2004; named a finalist for Texan of the Year by the Dallas Morning News editors for the year 2005; honored with the 4th Annual Friends of Texas Public Schools Friend of the Year Award for 2008; and being named one of the best CEOs in America for 2008 and 2009 by Institutional Investor magazine.

Gary received a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a member of Financial Executives Institute and the Texas Society of CPAs, and he serves on the McCombs School Accounting Advisory Board and the Advisory Council at the University of Texas at Austin. He also serves on the board of the Dallas Citizens Council.

Gary Kelly Videos

  • 2013 World LEADERS Conference Highlights - Gary Kelly on Vimeo
  • Gary Kelly, Longhorn Legend - YouTube

FAQs on booking Gary Kelly

  • How do I book Gary Kelly to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gary Kelly for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gary Kelly, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gary Kelly or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Gary Kelly

    Speaking fees for Gary Kelly, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Gary Kelly are $100,000 - $200,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gary Kelly, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Gary Kelly speak about?

    Gary Kelly is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Leadership Speakers, Virtual Speakers.
  • Where does Gary Kelly travel from?

    Gary Kelly generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Gary Kelly’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Gary Kelly for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gary Kelly for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gary Kelly or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Gary Kelly is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Gary Kelly for your event is $100,000 - $200,000. Gary Kelly generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jason Young, Dave Ridley, Cathy Sexton, Jorgen Vig Knudstorp and Ian Cook. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Gary Kelly for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Gary Kelly Speaker Videos

  • 2013 World LEADERS Conference Highlights - Gary Kelly on Vimeo
    Gary Kelly, Longhorn Legend - YouTube

Gary Kelly News

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Speakers Similar to Gary Kelly

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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