#12 Ralph Atkin - Founder of SkyWest Airlines and Cafe Rio

What does Cafe Rio, SkyWest Airlines and Red Hills Golf Course have in common?  Ralph Atkin.  Ralph Atkin was instrumental in not only starting these successful businesses, but starting them in southern Utah.  In this podcast, we’ll learn of Ralph’s businesses successes and failures and hear his advice. 

Mr. Atkin is the founder of SkyWest Airlines (1972), retired as its Chairman in 1992 and retired from its Board in 2016.  SkyWest Inc. is a public company.  He was involved in several mergers and acquisitions in addition to being heavily involved in the initial public offering of SkyWest stock.

Mr. Atkin has created Airlines in Europe (Austria 1995) and West Africa (Ghana 2005).  With both airlines, he dealt directly with many levels of government including the President of Ghana.  He is also a member of the National Advisory Council (NAC) for Dixie State University.  He and his wife have been co-chairs of the Centennial Campaign Committee and knows well the strains of “dialing for dollars.”  He also served on the Board of TruHearing, Inc. a private company until its successful exit in 2018.