McGee Air Services is reinventing how airport and ground services are provided. Think of us as the “un-vendor.” Not rigid or status quo. But agile, creative problem solvers. From baggage handling to airplane cleaning, from check-in services to ground operations, from ramping to mobility assistance, we’ll bring energy you’ve never seen to your operations and customer service.
Helping airlines and airports perform beyond the common norms
McGee teams are governed by accountability and ownership. We see ourselves as extensions of our customers’ brands. When we perform our ground and airport services well, our customers are the beneficiaries. There’s a chain reaction of exceptional service. When bags roll down the conveyor promptly. When passengers are cared for with respect and cheerfulness in a wheelchair transport. When aircraft interiors are sparkly clean. When gate lines move smoothly.
Owned by one of the highest-ranked airlines on the planet
Our parent company is Alaska Airlines, the nation’s fifth-largest airline, serving 100+ destinations across North America. Alaska has intentionally built a culture of safety, performance, and caring deeply for customers and employees alike, which is reflected in consistent top rankings on “Best Places to Work” and “Best Airlines” lists, including those from Forbes, J.D. Power, U.S. News & World Report, Kayak, and Tripadvisor. Excellence is in our DNA.
A legacy of making things happen
The name McGee actually traces its roots back to 1932, when Linious “Mac” McGee created McGee Airways, the forerunner of Alaska Airlines, to serve the rough-and-tumble Alaskan frontier. The name represents an entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and fortitude. And it carries forward to today, as McGee operates independently of our parent company with a sole focus on airline services.
Meet the McGee Leadership Team
Marie Underwood
CFO and Managing Director, Finance
Marie started with United Airlines in 1994 and worked in several positions of increasing responsibility before leaving for Mesa Air Group in 2005. She joined Horizon Air in 2006 as the division controller for maintenance. In 2008, she transitioned to Alaska Airlines, initially as division controller for maintenance and engineering, and then as division controller for airport operations and customer service. Marie has been consistently recognized for her ability to balance the needs of the business with the need to manage costs, for her ability to optimize processes, and for her dependability and attention to detail.
Marie holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Portland and earned her Executive MBA degree at the University of Washington.
Michael Francis
Managing Director, Operations – SEA
Mike joined McGee Air Service’s senior leadership team in February 2020 as managing director of operations for all locations outside of Seattle, and in July 2021 he took on his current role of managing director for the Seattle station. He brings considerable operational and leadership experience, having worked for more than 15 years in commercial and private aviation.
Mike began his career in Portland, Oregon, with Evergreen Aviation, where he was an operations manager. He moved to Atlantic Aviation, where he directed all aspects of corporate and privately owned aircraft handling as the line service manager in Stockton, California, for nine years. In 2017, Mike became McGee’s station manager in San Jose, California. The following year, he went on to serve as director of operations in San Francisco. Mike has been instrumental in McGee’s success in California, proving himself an effective leader, adept at building strong-performing and cohesive teams.
Mike earned his bachelor’s degree in business management and his MBA from Grand Canyon University.
Ben Reed
Managing Director, Safety & Compliance
Ben started his career as a CPA for Deloitte & Touche. He joined Alaska Airlines in 2009 as an internal auditor before moving, in 2012, to airport operations and customer service as the manager of airport quality assurance. Ben was promoted to director of aviation security and regulatory compliance in 2013. Before joining McGee Air Services in 2016, Ben served as director of station operations support for Alaska Airlines, where he oversaw resource planning, cabin cleaning, ground support equipment, and deicing.
Ben has proven to be a tremendously talented and versatile team player. He initially joined McGee Air Services in May 2016 as managing director, safety and compliance, before assuming responsibility for Seattle’s ramp service operation in July 2017 and Paine Field in March 2019. At Sea-Tac and Paine, Ben had responsibility for over 900 team members providing ground handling and other services on more than 200 flights every day. In February 2020, Ben resumed the role of managing director, safety and compliance.
Ben earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Brigham Young University.
Stacie Baker
Managing Director, Human Resources
Stacie brings nearly 30 years of aviation experience from call centers, station operations, human resources, labor relations, station training and leadership development.
She started her career with Kenmore Air and spent the last 27 years at Alaska Airlines; holding several positions of increasing responsibility before moving to McGee.
A caring, creative, results focused leader she is known for growing her team’s bandwidth and depth. Stacie’s high energy and can do spirit is contagious.
Stacie holds a bachelor’s degree in Airway Science Management from Central Washington University.