Herb Kelleher

Co-founder and longtime CEO of Southwest Airlines — architect of the low-cost carrier model and the 'employees first, customers second' culture that made Southwest the most consistently profitable airline in history.

The Southwest model: point-to-point routes (no hubs), single aircraft type (737), fast turnarounds, no frills, low fares. But the real innovation was cultural: Kelleher genuinely believed that employees came before customers — happy employees produced happy customers. This non-hierarchical, fun-loving culture was the competitive moat that rivals could see but not replicate. Southwest was profitable for 47 consecutive years — the only airline to achieve this. Kelleher's operational insight: turning planes around faster than competitors is a durable advantage.