CHICAGO, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- UAL Corporation , the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, today announced that Melinda Yee Franklin, has been named Manager, Governmental Affairs in California. She succeeds Alan Wayne, who retires from United this month after 39 years with the company.
Franklin will be based in San Francisco, home to more than 10,000 United employees and the United Services maintenance base. Her responsibilities include representing United in its relationships with government authorities in California, but also in Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
Franklin is widely recognized for her 20 years of experience in corporate- government relations. She has advised city, state and federal authorities on economic issues. In 1995, she was appointed by President Bill Clinton as special assistant to the late Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown and as a senior advisor on Pacific Rim policy. From 1996 to 2000, she served as former San Francisco Mayor, Willie Brown's International Trade Director.
Franklin's experience in the private sector includes her current role as the managing director of The Siena Group, where she advises corporations and prominent organizations on strategic investment and global business development.
"I am pleased to welcome Melinda to United, where her knowledge and leadership in state and local economic development, the Asian marketplace and commercial aviation will be a key asset in managing United's governmental affairs portfolio of issues in the region," says Mark Anderson, United's vice president of government affairs. "United thanks Alan Wayne for his years of service in managing United's government relations in California and the western states."
Franklin holds a bachelor of arts degree in communications from the University of California in San Diego and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Bay Area Sports Organization Committee and the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee. She also is a member of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
About United
United Airlines operates more than 3,700* flights a day on United, United Express and Ted to more than 210 U.S. domestic and international destinations from its hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C. With key global air rights in the Asia- Pacific region, Europe and Latin America, United is one of the largest international carriers based in the United States. United is also a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides connections for our customers to 842 destinations in 152 countries worldwide. United's 56,000 employees reside in every U.S. state and in many countries around the world. News releases and other information about United can be found at the company's Web site at united.com.
*Based on the flight schedule between May 1, 2006 and Dec. 31, 2006.
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