Virgin America Names New Controller

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America, the award-winning domestic airline, today announces the appointment of Karen S. Walker as the Company's new Vice President and Controller effective February 1, 2012.  Walker will oversee the California-based airline's day-to-day accounting and financial reporting functions.  Walker brings to Virgin America extensive experience in all aspects of finance including compliance, technical accounting, strategy, financial planning, business operations and process design.

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"Karen's breadth of accounting, compliance and financial planning experience will be invaluable to our growing airline as Virgin America prepares to enter the public markets," said Peter Hunt, the Company's Chief Financial Officer.  "We're pleased to bring Karen on board at this pivotal stage in our Company's growth."

Walker has worked in many industries including media and entertainment, technology, software and real estate. Most recently, Walker served as VP, Controller at CNET Networks, a $400 million publicly traded new media company.  During Walker's time at CNET, the company was acquired by CBS Corporation and she led the financial integration of CBS's interactive media business with the former CNET.

Before her elevation to the Controller position at CNET, Walker was the company's Director of Revenue, overseeing all aspects of revenue accounting operations and technical revenue accounting.  Prior to CNET, Walker held positions with increasing responsibility in accounting and financial planning with public companies such as Applied Materials, where she led a project management office for global shared services, and at Macromedia (acquired by Adobe) where she worked in corporate financial planning and analysis.

Walker is a California CPA and began her career in public accounting with Ernst & Young, Kenneth Leventhal Real Estate Group and PricewaterhouseCoopers.  Walker earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.  She resides in San Francisco with her husband.

Walker will report to Hunt and be based at Virgin America's Burlingame, California headquarters.

About Virgin America:  Headquartered in California, Virgin America offers guests attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel.  In just over four years flying, Virgin America was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 World's Best Awards.  The airline's base of operations is San Francisco International Airport (SFO).  In April 2011, the airline became an anchor tenant at SFO's new sleek and sustainable Terminal 2.  Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun,  Chicago, Puerto Vallarta, Palm Springs and Philadelphia (as of April 4, 2012).  For more, visit: www.virginamerica.com.  For photos/video of the airline's new aircraft and high-tech interiors, visit: http://www.virginamerica.com/about/airline-photos/virgin-america-pictures.html

SOURCE Virgin America