Background
King, Rollin White was born on April 10, 1931 in Cleveland. Son of Warren Griffin and Elizabeth (White) King.
executive education and consultant
King, Rollin White was born on April 10, 1931 in Cleveland. Son of Warren Griffin and Elizabeth (White) King.
Student Cornell Univercity, Ithaca, New York, 1950-1954. Bachelor, Western Reserve University, 1955. Master of Business Administration, Harvard University, 1962.
King moved to Texas in 1962. In 1964 he made his initial foray into airplane transportation, buying a local air charter company. During that time he watched with interest the growing market share of one of the nation"s oldest low-cost air carriers, Pacific, and became determined to create a similar operation in Texas.
King"s involvement with dates from 15 March 1967, when he and Herb Kelleher incorporated the Air Southwest Company in Texas, with the stated intention of flying only to points within that state.
Kelleher believed that by staying within Texas, the airline could avoid federal regulation. However, three airlines with bases in Texas launched legal action to keep the startup company from initiating operations, so it did not begin operations until 18 June 1971.
King had hired Kelleher to provide legal representation for the nascent operation. From 1968 until 1970 King was responsible for recruiting a board of directors, writing the business plan, and raising the money necessary to fund the company"s activities aimed at becoming certified by the State of Texas to provide airline service between Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
Lamar Muse joined the company on 1 January 1971, being named President (King remained as a company director), and the company changed its name to on 28 March of that year.
Muse began hiring pilots and arranging for aircraft purchases. He also served on the executive committee and audit committee during that time. In 1991 King was asked to participate in an effort to restore a Panama-owned airline, Air Panamá Internacional.
He was named Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the reworked company, which had been renamed Air Panama International.
However, by 1993 it was evident that the effort was unsuccessful, and no flights were made by the company. King left in 2006, after which he engaged in executive education and consulting as the principal of Rollin King Associates from 1989 until his retirement at the end of 1995.
During his later years he was principally engaged in private investments. King died in Dallas, Texas on June 26, 2014.
His funeral was attended by Gary C. Kelly, the chief executive officer of, as well as other company representatives.
Member management staff National Security Agency, Washington, 1955-1960. Served with Army of the United States, 1956-1958, United States Naval Reserve, 1958-1964. Clubs: Brook Hollow Golf.
Married Mary Ella Ownby Dewar King, July 5, 1976. Children: Rollin White, Edward Prescott.