David “Dave” Pflieger serves as president and CEO of Alaska-based Ravn Air Group, a leading air transportation and logistics services provider. Outside of his work, David Pflieger supports the Mamanuca Environmental Society (MES) in its efforts to protect the marine and terrestrial environments of Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands. MES activities include the annual Dive Into Earth Week on April 22. Earth Week raises awareness about the environmental risks and damages associated with littering, engaging the entire Mamanuca area in a collaborative cleanup effort, the largest concerted environmental cleanup in that region. An increasing number of people participate each year, uniting the tourism industry, diving operators, local resorts, village communities, and nongovernmental organizations. Activities focus largely on public education and cleaning up land and underwater environments. Participants distribute pamphlets on the importance of coral reefs and how to protect them. MES also delivers talks to village communities and children, and employs team leaders to direct underwater cleanups.
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Airline executive David “Dave” Pflieger serves as the President and CEO of Ravn Air Group, a transportation and logistics company based in Alaska which is also the State's largest regional carrier. When David Pflieger, led Air Pacific/Fiji Airways, he also supported nonprofit organizations in Fiji such as the Mamanuca Environment Society (MES). Dedicated to protecting the land and marine resources of the Mamanuca region, MES draws upon partnerships with local communities, government agencies, and international nongovernmental organizations. The nonprofit sponsors projects that range from conserving turtles to teaching children in Fiji about the importance of protecting the environment. MES engages in education and awareness campaigns designed to discourage children from disposing of their water bottles, plastic wrappers, and other trash in rivers that are eventually carried out to sea and can damage coral reefs. The organization also conducts clean-up campaigns that aim to eliminate trash on the beach. For instance, MES organized a program in the village of Solevu involving nearly 30 children, who picked up rubbish at a local beach. Moreover, the organization concentrates on removing harmful crown-of-thorns starfish that feed on coral reefs. The explosion of starfish has had a devastating effect on the reefs. To learn more, visit the official MES website at www.mesfiji.org Before starting work for the World Bank in 2016, David (Dave) Pflieger served as the president, CEO, and member of the board for Hawaii Island Air in Honolulu. His accomplishments prior to that included being a founding officer of the highly successful Virgin America and leading a dramatic and highly successful restructuring and rebranding of Air Pacific into Fiji Airways. Passionate about sustainability and corporate responsibility, David Pflieger created Virgin America’s entire corporate sustainability program, and in Fiji he led Fiji Airways to support Fiji’s communities by financing the island's first wellness clinic focused on preventative medicine. Fiji Airways partnered with Dr. Zen Low and his well-respected Medical Center to create the first-ever Health and Wellness clinic in the country. To this day, the clinic still focuses on common health problems in the community, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes. Many Fijians in their 30s and 40s suffer from heart attacks and strokes, and about four of every 10 adults on the island has diabetes. Detecting these issues before they cause irreparable harm is key for preventing early death. It is for that reason that the Fiji Airways clinic offers free screenings with a doctor's referral to help patients find prevention strategies and alternate lifestyle choices that can prolong their life and well-being and allow them to beat the premature death norms that are so prevalent in Fiji. After serving in the United States Air Force for over a decade, David “Dave” Pflieger leveraged his flight experience to work with commercial airlines such as Delta Air Lines, Song, Virgin America, and Air Pacific Ltd (which David rebranded and renamed to “Fiji Airways”). Throughout his career, David Pflieger has promoted green practices both in and out of the office by supporting organizations such as the Mamanuca Environment Society (MES) in Fiji. Looking to protect the various ecosystems within the Mamanuca region, MES runs a number of programs that promote conservation, education, and sustainability. As part of its efforts, the organization hosts an array of awareness programming for members of the surrounding communities. To educate local children about living sustainably, MES has operated its Marine Environment School Program since 2001. Designed specifically for children in grades six through eight, the program teaches young students about local natural resources and the significance of protecting them. Throughout the program, MES runs topically-driven lessons that cover everything from the types of animals that live in the Mamanuca islands to how humans affect coral reefs. MES also works diligently to inform those who are visiting the Mamanuca islands about the biodiversity of the local region. Through its Resort Guest Presentation program, the organization works with some of the area’s top resorts to familiarize their guests with local species and ecosystems. In addition, MES informs visitors of the sustainability projects that it operates throughout the community. |
About David Pflieger
David Pflieger - Senior Airline Executive
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