34 - Sunday, July 19, 1992 - North Shore News WHEN GORDON Woida accepted an early retirement of- fer from Air Canada in 1983, he barely had time to put his feet up and relax before another airline came knocking at his door. The North Vancouver resident had worked at Canada’s national airline for 29 years and had learn- ed the business from the ground up. He started with Air Canada in 1954 after graduating from high school in Alberta and worked in a wide variety of areas, including freight and passenger sales. But when Air Canada started cutting back in January 1983, Woida decided to accept an early retirement package offered to all employees of the airline with over 20 years’ service. But his retirement was short- lived. “*At that time I was in a posi- uion where | would either have to move from Vancouver or move to another company. I decided to make the decision to leave and seek another career,”’ says Woida. By Surj Rattan News Reporter While he didn't know it at the time, another airline, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, was just setting up its North American base of operations in Vancouver. When Cathay Pacific heard Woida was available, they made him an offer he ‘‘couldn’t refuse." That offer came on Woida’s se- cond day of retirement. “At a time when other airlines were cutting back on service and perks, Cathay Pacific Airways entered the North American mar- ketplace with a strong commit- ment to service excellence. “The opportunity to help in- troduce the airline and its unique @ NAME: Gordon Woida @ AGE: 58 @ OCCUPATION: ‘Sales and marketing manager for Cathay Pacific Airlines’ Canada and Pacific Northwest operations e RESIDENCE: North Van- couver @ BORN: Bruce, Alberta ® FAMILY: Wife Shiriey, son, one daughter one services to Canadians was one I couldn’t pass up,’ says Woida. He has been with Cathay ’ Pacific for the past nine years and oversees the airline's sales and marketing initiatives across Canada and in Washington state. Vancouver. is now Cathay Pacific’s Canadian headquarters; Los Angeles acts as the airline’s U.S. base. Woida’s job takes him monthly to inspect Cathay Pacific’s offices FROM HIGH atop his West Georgia Street office in downtown Vancouver, Gordon Woida oversees Cathay Pacific Airtines’ sales and marketing team for Canada and Szattle. Gordon Woida: In his own words How did you get involved with the airline industry?: ‘‘By accident: At that time, you finished school and just went and got a job. You just took what was available. ‘The airline industry was about 10 years old at the time, so it was pretty new when I joined Air Canada.” What is a routine day iike for you at work?: ‘I start early in the morning, and I’m usually here at 7 a.m., that's when I’m in town. I’m usually away one week every month visiting our operations across Canada and in Seattle. ‘*When I come in in the morn- ing 1 usually go through my mail, and when I'm finished that, everyone else is usually just com- ing into the office. “*‘We usually meet with a management team in the morning to find out what everyone is do- ing. “*Y see my job as helping the various offices and directing the people who work here. The major task is dealing with people."’ What de you like to do to relax when you're not at work?: “I like to golf. We also travel quite a it.?” What do you think you would be doing today if you did net enter the airline business?: ‘‘1 would probably be in accounting, al- though | would hate that. “At the time | graduated from high school you could go directly into an accounting office and work without having gone to uni- versity.’’ BESTAGRART 445 13th St. at Marine, West Vancouver HIGH PROFILES Retiring to bluer skies NEWS photos take ‘Vakatietd GORDON WOIDA goes over business with Cathay P Pacific Airlines ticketing agent Beatrice Koeverden. in Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Seattle. Woida says he has seen a lot of changes in the airline industry- since he first entered the profes- sion. “The biggest change is the technology. People still phone in and make reservations but it's all automated now. In fact, the tech- nology exists to fly an airplane without anyone operating it,’’ says Woida. Woida and his wife usually take one major holiday a year, and while he-is technically on vacation at the time, Woida says he is still on the job in one sense when he travels. “We're always working when we travel. When I travel on a dif- ferent airline I always look at things that they are doing ‘dif- ferently than us,"” he says. . He adds that the airline industry is extremely competitive, not only in Canada, but all over the’world. “"You have to work ‘for. every bit of. business you. get,”’ _Says Woida. Unlike some people, Woida ac-. tually enjoys flying, even if it’s on- a lengthy overseas flight to Hong Kong, a trip he makes frequently as part of his job. - A frequent flyer by defi inition, Woida says he has only lost ‘his luggage once in all the time he has flown, and that was his own fault. **For all the years I’ve worked for airlines my luggage has never . been iost or delayed except for the one time I left it at the terminal i in Vienna.”’ International Academy of British Columbia © SMALL CLASSES * GRADES 6-12 ® INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAMS jf UNIQUE FEATURES: @ Traditional approach, well-balanced curriculum and extenelve “ ea recreational programme. Small class sizes & individual attention a foster achievement, build self-confidence. Language programme in- ; ® cludes French Yramersion for Grades 6 to 9. Cooperative program- i mes with Goh Ballet and Moody Music help promote Performing Arts ma students. 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