I was working on my project about online reputation management for airline industries, in the course of process to check for chief marketing officer of aviation industries, Vicki Escarra, former CMO of Delta airlines grasped my attention in a moment for her inspirational professional and social life. I was amazed when, I found out how she has soared to unprecedented heights within aviation industry from a normal post, and to know her significant contribution to Feeding America. Vicki Escarra serves as a source of strength and a voice for women as a visionary in distinguishing herself in the corporate world while maintaining a high level of integrity in the society.
Beginning of Vicki Escarra’s Career and Success:
Vicki Escarra began her career in Delta’s In-Flight Services division (flight attendant) as an eager and passionate young woman, who was just out of Georgia State University with Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in the year 1973, with a plan in her mind to take the advantage of the opportunity to work and see the more of the world at a younger age. She was pursuing her job in delta with a plan to return to graduate school one day. Along the way, however, the job itself became the source for her continuing education, and Vicki Escarra became completely enamored with the airline industry and it’s potential. An interim decision had resulted in a propelling moment in her career.
In a career in aviation industry that lasted for more than 3 decades, the former flight attendant had risen through the ranks to be chief customer services officer at Delta Air Lines and later the company's chief marketing officer.
In an industry with daily advancing aviation technology and increasing demands by business travelers, it was a challenging beginning in one’s career but she pursued it with her trademark diligence – and it has paid off. Her skills at interacting with throngs of people from all across the world in less than ideal situations continue to serve her well today, as they did then.
To point out one, in the aftermath of the tragedies involving so many aircraft and passengers on September 11, 2001, Escarra called upon her ability to handle a crisis, to listen with compassion and to assure thousands of flight attendants under her supervision worldwide that all would be well. Her mission at the time was also to help in-flight crews manage the fears of the more than 104 million customers they would continue to serve, as they flew Delta each year.
Vicki Escarra first accounted for the safety of each of Delta’s 500-plus aircraft in its global network. Then she moderated a conference call with flight attendants, many of whom were stranded away from their home bases and made sure that they weren’t alone as they experienced the grief and concern that had suddenly gripped the nation. Attention to people’s needs characterizes Escarra’s management style.
Not long after the industry began to experience post 9/11 trauma in terms of lagging ticket sales, with the increased responsibility Escarra was challenged again. With a challenge to minimize the impact of this devastating travel malaise on Delta’s revenue, she responded by escalating her efforts to strengthen strategic partnerships by expanding company’s relationship with coca cola company. A deal was done to make Coca-Cola products the exclusive beverages on 8,000 daily flights to more than 500 destinations in 114 countries to add to company’s revenue by Skyteam – an alliance comprised of Delta, Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech, and Korean Air.
Her expeditious progress and professionalism in Delta is commendable. In 1992, she assumed management for more than 21,000 flight attendants worldwide as Director of In-Flight Operations. Later, in 1994, she was named Vice President of Reservation Sales, where she successfully directed the company’s telecommunication resources for more than 20 Call Centers worldwide. Following the addition of Distribution Planning to her responsibilities, she was appointed Vice President for Airport Customer Service, where she was accountable for the daily operations of 315 Delta airport locations in 39 countries. Having been promoted to Senior Vice President in that position, she soon ascended to the post of Executive Vice President, and, in May 2001, she was named to CMO. Escarra is among very few women in aviation to have achieved this level of responsibility.
She was named as one of the “200 Most Powerful Women in Travel” in 1997 and for three consecutive years afterwards by Travel Agent magazine. The National Air & Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution presented her with its National Aviation and Space Exploration Wall of Honor certificate in January 2000. In 2002, she received the Atlanta YWCA Women of Achievement Award.
Her contribution to Feeding America:
After leaving Delta in 2004, she began to consecrate most of her time for the commitments in which she found her own happiness, love, and satisfaction. Now she had more time to devote to placate the pain and hunger of deprived people of America. In 2006 she was appointed as President and CEO of Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, which provides food to Americans in need through a network of more than 200 food banks. Vicki Escarra also serves on President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships as a member of the Task Force on Economic Recovery and Domestic Poverty. She is on the Sesame Workshop Advisory Board on Food Insecurity, as well as the boards of HealthNet, the Congressional Hunger Center, The Chicago Network, and the Committee of 200.
Feeding America, which has many recent awards to its name, relies on a broad community of supporters to achieve ongoing success, and Escarra has been central to strengthening relationships across the public and private sectors. Under Escarra’s guidance, the network successfully encouraged the passage of a robust Farm Bill in 2007, leading to significant enhancements of federal feeding programs. Her efforts have created partnerships with the charitable arms of the TV shows "American Idol”, "The Biggest Loser" and "Celebrity Apprentice" and expanded the number of people served annually from 25 million to 37 million and the pounds of food and grocery products distributed annually from 2 billion to 2.8 billion. Feeding America provides the emergency food to almost one out of 8 needy Americans. One of the richest nations in the world has 13% people starving for daily food (of which 37% are children), then what would be this statistics in other developing and underdeveloped nations? The appreciation of Indian government on its step to Right to education (Author – Suraj Sharma) doesn’t mean that it has succeeded in providing other basic human rights like food in India. The Human Rights start off with basics that every human requires. To the next level comes being human, to have pleasure, recreation, and then being able to love and contribute to the society. I appreciate the step initiated by Bhook.com in India. To achieve this great success in Feeding America, Escarra made major innovations in every aspect of Feeding America’s operations. Most visibly, after taking the Chicago job she initiated the organization’s comprehensive rebranding effort that evolved its long-standing brand, America’s Second Harvest, to Feeding America. She says "No one knew what we were doing. The new name has increased awareness and giving.” She continues to serve in Feeding America with the intention that no one sleeps and dies with hunger.
Vicki Escarra has truly soared farther than her expectations in her career and forerunner in fighting for a cause, and provided the aisle with no limit for other women with high-flying aspirations. With growing needs of such person in the society, I believe we would be seeing many more fighters (shero) to born and provide a balance in the community. - Suraj Sharma
