Richard J. Ferris

Richard Jesse Ferris (August 31, 1936 – January 16, 2022) was an American business executive who served as the CEO of UAL Corporation, the former holding company of United Airlines, and was later the co-owner of the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey County, California. During his time as the CEO of UAL Corporation, he helped restructure the company into a travel industry conglomerate called the Allegis Corporation, which combined the assets of United Airlines, The Hertz Corporation, Westin Hotels, Hilton International, and the Apollo Reservation System. Early life Ferris was born in Sacramento, California, on August 31, 1936. His father was an insurance salesman. He served three years in the United States Army after the Second World War, and spent time in Japan managing an army officers' club in Tokyo before returning to the states to graduate with a hotel management degree from Cornell University in 1962. Career Ferris started his career with Western International Hotels, which later became Westin Hotels & Resorts. He spent his time managing a number of the company's properties across the country. During this time, he also served as the general manager of the Continental Plaza Hotel in Chicago. He joined UAL Corporation, the parent holding company of United Airlines, after UAL's acquisition of Western International Hotels in 1970 and was made president of United's Food Services Division in 1971. He then became group vice president of marketing in 1974. He would go on to become CEO of United in 1976 at the age of 39 and chairman of the board in 1978. Mr. Ferris was named CEO of Allegis Corporation in 1979 and chairman and president in 1982. He followed his mentor, Edward Carlson, who himself had been Western Hotels' CEO.