Skybus CEO resigns to resume book-writing career
Skybus CEO resigns to resume book-writing career
Skybus CEO Bill Diffenderffer resigned today, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The paper says he "is stepping aside to return to writing books, a career he left in 2005 when he joined Skybus." Diffenderffer had been at Skybus' helm through the carrier's start-up process and since its first flight on May 22, according to The Associated Press. Speaking in a statement, the chairman of Skybus' board of directors -- C. Robert Kidder -- noted Diffenderffer's work in "creating of Skybus' unique business model, raising the capital that funded the startup, and the planning leading to Skybus' first flights in May 2007 and its first year of operation," the Dispatch writes.
But with the airline now off the ground, Diffenderffer "feels that now is the time for others in the organization to take the lead in moving Skybus forward," Kidder goes on to say in his statement. AP notes Skybus "has endured some bumps since it began flying on May 22," including a Christmastime schedule disruption and a shakeup of routes and destinations. Skybus says the latter is in response to soaring fuel costs. Diffenderffer will be replaced by current Skybus CFO Mike Hodge. Prior to joining Skybus in March 2007, the Dispatch says Hodge "had been a managing director and airline-industry analyst at Tiger Management, a hedge fund that helped provide startup funding for Skybus."