John E. “Ned” Walker

 John E. “Ned” Walker served as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer of Delta Air Lines Inc., from October 2008 until his retirement in June 2014. He was a member of the Corporate Leadership Team reporting to CEO Richard Anderson. Walker joined Delta from Houston-based Continental Airlines Inc., where he served for 21 years as a leading communications strategist. He retired from Continental in October 2008 as a member of the airline’s Management Committee and Senior Vice President of Worldwide Corporate Communications.Walker joined Delta immediately prior to the airline’s merger with Northwest Airlines, Inc. His role with the merged company was to coordinate communications of the larger airline’s messaging with employees, shareholders, media, regulators and the public. Delta’s integration was considered one of the corporate world’s smoothest mergers.

At Continental, Walker was the senior corporate communication executive during the airline’s remarkable turnaround headed by CEO Gordon Bethune.

Prior to joining the airline industry Walker was a radio and television journalist in Colorado.

He served on the Advisory Council of the College of Communications at the University of Texas at Austin for six years and was Chairman of the Visitor Relations subcommittee for Houston’s Super Bowl XXXVIII Host Committee.