Mayor Proposes Naming Street For Former Southwest CEO
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - The Dallas mayor is proposing to rename a street near Dallas Love Field Airport for longtime Southwest Airlines CEO Herbert D. Kelleher.
A section of Cedar Springs Road leading into Love Field would be christened Herb Kelleher Way. The street would run from Mockingbird Lane to Contrail Lane.
Mayor Tom Leppert said Thursday that Kelleher is a Texas legend. "He has not only been the trusted face of Southwest Airlines since its start, he also embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of our city and state," Mayor Leppert said in a press release statement.
The name change would require a response period to the notification, a vote by the Dallas Plan Commission and city council approval. And if approved the change would be phased in over two years to allow existing businesses to adapt.
Kelleher, who turns 80 next month, was a lawyer in San Antonio when he helped found Southwest, which began flying in 1971. He served as CEO from 1981 until 2001, and as chairman from 1978 to 2008.
Southwest's headquarters building is next to Love Field. It carries more U.S. passengers than any other airline, although it ranks fourth among U.S. airline companies in miles flown by passengers.
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