Bill Ayer, the chairman, president and CEO of Alaska Airlines, the nation’s ninth largest carrier, is set to visit Saint Louis University next week. He will speak in the Tegeler Auditorium at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27. The event is open to everyone; business and aviation students are especially encouraged to attend. Ayer will discuss how his company succeeded during times of instability and intense competition in the airline industry. “Mr. Ayer is coming because he has done an incredible job transforming his airline. Ayer understands the complex airline industry and the economic factors surrounding it. For these reasons, aviation and business school students should come to this event,” said Greg White, president of SLU’s chapter of Alpha Eta Rho, the aviation fraternity. “Aviation students need to know what a successful airline structure looks like, and the information will be invaluable for business school students because the airline industry is one of the most cut-throat in the country.” Ayer’s seminar, “Flying High in Turbulent Times: A Seminar in Airline Business Strategy,” is a one-time event. It will only be held at SLU and is not part of a national tour. “Alpha Eta Rho has been trying to get some important speakers since it started three years ago. This is by far the biggest speaking event we have had. It is not often a corporate CEO comes to visit a university,” White said. Ayer’s company is one of only three airlines that has managed to avoid bankruptcy since federal deregulation of the industry in 1978. Ayer has 20 years of experience in the aviation industry.  Before becoming CEO of Alaska Airlines in 2002, Ayer served as president of customer service and of marketing and planning. In addition to his commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates, Ayer holds a B.A. in economics from Stanford University and an MBA from the University of Washington.   Ayer is currently a resident of Bellevue, Wash., a suburb of Seattle.