Arkia Israel Airlines was established in 1949 by El AL Israel's national airline, and the Histadrut Labor Federation, the biggest employees' union in Israel. The move was encouraged by the Israeli government to establish an air link between central Israel and the then southern outpost, Eilat. Initially, the company served as a domestic airline only, and engaged solely in aviation. In 1980, Arkia became the first state company in Israel to be privatized, its new owners being Kanaf Arkia and the company's employees. Arkia is presently owned by Knaiaim-Arkia Holdings Ltd. (75 percent), a company that is publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, and by its employees (25 percent). Israel Borovich has been president and CEO of Arkia Israel Airlines since 1989. He has a B.Sc. in industrial engineering (1967), an M.Sc. in industrial engineering (1968), and a Ph.D. in operations research (1970). A professor of computers and information systems at the Faculty of Management, Tel Aviv University, he has conducted research since 1987 on the economics and management of information systems. He has been a member of the Tel Aviv University Executive Council since 1998, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzlia. He was a member of the Tel Aviv Council, member of the City Executive Board, and head of the Transportation Division (1993-1998); chairman, Information Association of Israel (IPA); director. The Marcel and Annie Adams Institute for Business Management Information Systems, Tel Aviv University; visiting professor at a number of U.S. universities; manager. Computer Center, Tel Aviv University; chairman. Information Systems Program, Faculty of Management, Tel Aviv University; member of the Executive Committee of the Advertisers Association of Israel (1993-1998); and chairman and founder of the Transportation and Aviation Center, Faculty of Management, Tel Aviv University. He is the author of a number of books and many articles in leading journals.
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