Port of Oakland - Newsroom

OAKLAND, CALIF.-- On March 28, 2000, the Port of Oakland will present its second annual "Soaring Eagle" award to Herb Kelleher, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Southwest Airlines. The award will be presented to Southwest Airlines, a Port tenant, in recognition of the company's exemplary business success and its proven commitment to local communities, including Oakland. The presentation will be made at a special luncheon at the Oakland Marriott Hotel, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The first "Soaring Eagle" award was presented in 1998 to United Parcel Services.

"I'm delighted to have this opportunity to honor one of the Port's outstanding tenants at our Oakland International Airport," said Chuck Foster, executive director, Port of Oakland. "The Port certainly recognizes the significant contribution made by Southwest to the overall success of the Oakland Airport. Providing nearly 2,000 Oakland-based jobs, the entire city and surrounding communities benefit from Southwest's presence. However, we are extremely proud of the generous contributions and commitment made by Southwest to our local communities."

Among Southwest's many community programs are the Ronald McDonald House, which the company has chosen as its primary corporate charity; Home for the Holidays Program; "I Have A Dream" Program; Road Warriors Sponsor; and United Way.

Through its involvement with Ronald McDonald House, Southwest has contributed more than $3.5 million for the past 14 years. Locally, its station employees host a summer BBQ and Thanksgiving dinner at the two Bay Area Houses.

Since 1979, Southwest Airlines has provided thousands of senior citizens the opportunity to share the holidays with their faraway friends and relatives. Every year, the company offers Home for the Holidays program in each of the 56 cities the airline serves. Complimentary roundtrip tickets to any Southwest destination are provided to selected seniors. In 1999, the 25 Oakland winners were also treated to a special awards ceremony.

Southwest employees volunteered last year to participate in the "I Have A Dream" (IHAD) program for a class at Prescott Elementary in Oakland. IHAD provides low-income children with a year-round program of academic, social and cultural activities from elementary through high school, followed by scholarships for college or vocational education.

The company also sponsors the Golden State Warriors wheelchair basketball team-the Road Warriors. For the past three years, Southwest has sponsored a poster contest for elementary school students. The class with the winning poster is introduced at a Golden State Warrior game and their poster is displayed at the arena.

In addition to supporting local United Way fundraising events, Southwest makes annual monetary donations on a company-wide basis.

Southwest Airlines, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, began service in June 1971 with daily flights to Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. It employs more than 29,000 workers nationwide, including 1,980 in Oakland.

Southwest has the distinction of being the country's only major short-haul, low-fare, high-frequency, point-to-point carrier. In addition, Oakland is Southwest's number six city in terms of daily departures.

The Port of Oakland, established in 1927, is an independent department of the City of Oakland employing some 560 people. The Port extends approximately 19 miles along the east side of the Oakland Estuary from the border of the city of Emeryville immediately north of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, to the south to the border of the city of San Leandro. Port facilities include four major marine terminal areas covering almost 1,000 acres; Oakland International Airport which covers an area of over 2,500 acres; 1,100 acres of commercial, industrial, recreational and other land; 950 acres of underdeveloped land; and about 9,800 surface acres of water area.


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