My Leader and Friend Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, announced as Co Chair of the Financial Literacy for All Initiative
Editor’s Note:
Ed Bastian, is one of the special ones. Ed leads from the front, and not just in the public view as CEO of this great airline, Delta Air Lines. It is what he does, and how he leans in, when no one is watching. The time he told me, as we stood up the HOPE Global Forum Annual Meeting in Atlanta for the first time — and he showed up to speak, and vowed to be the first Fortune 500 CEO to commit to speak every year thereafter. And after almost a decade, he’s still showing up and still first to do so. Never flinching. Never backing down. Always leading with values, and always leading from the front.
Or the time I brought him an idea of financial literacy coaching for Delta Airline Employees — all 100,000 of them — and he responded by setting aside 100M for an emergency savings account ($1,000 each) for every Delta Team Member that completed their financial literacy coaching and counseling with either Fidelity Investments or Operation HOPE. To date, approximately 50% of all Delta Team Members have completed the sessions and received their $1,000 emergency savings account. And the stories I have been told while on Delta flights since, of how transformational this important individual investment has made on and in their lives. Again, that’s Ed leading from the front.
Or how Ed shows up in community, from serving on the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce board, or the Operation HOPE Global Board of Advisors, or leaning in to race money every year for the Rally Foundation, which tackles the issue of kid’s cancer (and raises millions every year, because Ed is their point man). And most beautifully, today my friend and leader Ed Bastian announced his profit sharing commitment with all Delta Team Members, which he does every Valentine’s Day, amounting to $1.3 billion. And from my perspective, Delta Airlines — under Ed’s leadership — is a prime example of what I call Stakeholder Capitalism, but more details on that a little later.
And now we have this example of Ed’s signature leadership commitment with us — agreeing to take over from our friend Doug McMillion (former CEO of Walmart) as co-chair of the Financial Literacy for All Initiative. And I have not even touched the personal parts of our relationship and how wonderful Ed is to have as a friend.
I cannot say enough about this man, but what I can say — without question, reservation or hesitation — is that my friend Ed Bastian ‘leads from the front.’ The Delta Airlines family, our Operation HOPE family, and now the Financial Literacy for All Initiative family, are all fortunate and lucky to have him in our lives.
ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Financial Literacy for All (FL4A), a national initiative dedicated to advancing financial education and economic opportunity for all, today announced that Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer of Delta Air Lines, will assume the role of Co-Chair, succeeding Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Walmart, who has served in the role since the initiative’s launch.
Bastian will join the initiative’s leadership at a pivotal moment as FL4A continues to expand its reach and deepen collaboration across the public and private sectors to improve financial capability for individuals and families nationwide.
“Ed Bastian is a respected business leader who understands the importance of investing in people and communities,” said John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE. “He has been at the forefront of investing in improved outcomes for his team members and the communities he operates in, making him an ideal leader to help guide Financial Literacy for All into its next chapter.”
As CEO of Delta Air Lines, Bastian has championed inclusive economic growth, workforce investment, and corporate citizenship. Under his leadership, Delta has been widely recognized for its focus on employee wellbeing, sustainability, and community engagement.
“Financial literacy is foundational to opportunity and long-term success,” said Bastian. “I’m honored to join Financial Literacy for All and to work alongside partners across sectors to help equip people with the tools and knowledge they need to build a more secure future.”
About Financial Literacy for All
Launched in 2020, Financial Literacy for All is national initiative to embed financial literacy into American culture, led by a prominent group of leaders from the business, sports, entertainment and nonprofit sectors. This 10-year initiative will reach millions of youths and working adults by making financial literacy fun, engaging them where they live, work and celebrate.
Founded by co-chairs Operation HOPE CEO John Hope Byrant and Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, the initiative has convened some of the world’s most influential brands to use their reach and creativity to advance the mission of FL4A. Founding Members include Walmart, Bank of America, Delta Air Lines, The Walt Disney Company, NFL, NBA, PayPal, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Khan Academy, and Ares Management.
Contacts
Media Contact:
Kevin Boucher
Chief Strategy and Communications Officer
Operation HOPE
kevin.boucher@operationhope.org
John Hope Bryant — founder of Bryant Group Ventures, Operation HOPE, Inc, publisher of the Bryant Journal and author of his coming book Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future Proofing of America.
