11:30AM-1PM Luncheon
Governor Hotel, Billiard Room
614 SW 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205

Launching a new alternative in the midst of a struggling airline industry

Abstract:

It’s simple really. When it comes to travel between Seattle and Portland, a trip that used to take over three hours one way (either by car, train or plane), now clocks in at half that—that’s 90 minutes from downtown to downtown.  Welcome aboard SeaPort Airlines.  SeaPort launched in June 2008 during a time when fuel prices were sky high and the airline industry was delivering nothing but bad news.  Kent Craford, CEO of SeaPort, and his partners were called crazy, but knew they had a great value proposition and weren’t afraid to go up against a huge competitor—the only element missing was the creation of a great brand to match.  Enter Coates Kokes.  Hear from Kent Craford and Steve Kokes, President & Strategic Director of Coates Kokes, who developed a successful brand, redefined an industry and gave a large competitor a run for its money.

Bios:

Kent Craford, CEO and co-founder, SeaPort Airlines
Kent Craford is the chief executive officer and co-founder of SeaPort Airlines, the new regularly scheduled commercial airline service flying between Portland and Seattle.  In Portland, SeaPort operates out of its own terminal at PDX, and out of Boeing Field in Seattle.  Prior to launching SeaPort, Kent was a Principal in the Gallatin Group, a regional public affairs firm, and was the director of the Portland Water Users Coalition, a group of Portland's largest industrial and commercial water and sewer customers.  Craford received his degree in International Political Economy from the University of Puget Sound.

Steve Kokes, President & Strategic Director, Coates Kokes
Steve Kokes is the President & Strategic Director of Coates Kokes, a full-service advertising and public relations agency.  Kokes has 25 years of experience working in marketing communications and strategic planning for a variety of clients including the Northwest Energy Efficiency’s BetterBricks program, State of Oregon’s Tobacco Prevention and Education Program, The Register-Guard, Port of Vancouver and SeaPort.  Prior to becoming a partner in Coates Kokes in 2000, Kokes spent eight years at the Portland offices of Cole & Weber.  He is a journalism graduate from the University of Oregon.

Registration