Delta to Retain 4 of Western’s Top 15 Officers

Only four of the 15 top officers of Western Airlines will remain with Delta Air Lines after the two carriers become fully integrated, it was announced Thursday after a Delta board meeting. Western, which recently became a Delta subsidiary, will be fully merged into the Atlanta-based carrier April 1.

The Department of Transportation approved Delta’s $860-million acquisition of Los Angeles-based Western in December.

Among those who will not have jobs at Delta are Gerald Grinstein, chairman and chief executive of Western; Donald J. Lloyd-Jones, president and chief operating officer, and Adam M. Aron, vice president-marketing programs. Grinstein, however, will become a Delta director.

It was also announced Thursday that Grinstein has been elected vice chairman of Burlington Northern Inc., of Fort Worth, and will be responsible for transportation subsidiaries. Aron will become senior vice president for marketing of Chicago-based Hyatt Hotels.

Lloyd-Jones, who had earlier served as a consultant and special assistant to the chairman, was elected Western’s president only last August.

The four Western officers who will take Delta jobs are: Thomas J. Roeck Jr., Western’s senior vice-president and chief financial officer, who becomes vice president-finance administration; Harold L. Achtziger, vice president-airport services, now assistant vice president-stations; Joseph C. Hilly, vice president-employee relations, now assistant vice president-personnel services, and Calvin L. Rader, vice president-information services, now assistant vice president-marketing automation.