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- Stacy Morrissey, American Airlines Vice President of Engineering and
Quality, is the 2026 Airlines for America Nuts and Bolts Award airline
recipient.
- The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding service and
achievements in the engineering or maintenance fields within the commercial
aviation industry.
- Morrissey joins a legacy of American Airlines Nuts and Bolts Award
recipients, including Ken MacTiernan, the first active aviation maintenance
technician to receive the award and David Seymour, American’s Chief Operating
Officer.
FORT WORTH, Texas — At a surprise ceremony at the Robert L. Crandall Campus,
Stacy Morrissey, American Airlines Vice President of Engineering and Quality,
was announced as the 2026 Airlines for America (A4A) Nuts and Bolts Award airline
recipient. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding
service and achievements in the engineering or maintenance fields within the
commercial aviation industry. This year’s recognition marks the third time a
female has been honored in its 60-year history, and Morrissey joins more
than a dozen team members of American Airlines and its legacy carriers who
also received the Award.
“I’m truly grateful for this recognition and even more appreciative that I
get to be a part of such a remarkable team at American,” said Morrissey.
“Aviation is an extraordinary industry, made possible by the passion,
creativity and relentless commitment to safety of the people in it. Every day
we come together and make the impossible happen.”
Morrissey joined American in 1998 as a Fleet Operations Engineer where she
led engineering support of the Boeing 757, 767 and 777 fleets. In 2014, she was
promoted to Director of Quality Assurance, and two years later, she was
selected as Managing Director of Base and Strategic Planning. Morrissey was
appointed Vice President of Engineering and Quality in July 2020. In her
current role, she oversees engineering, quality control, quality assurance,
reliability, aircraft configuration management, maintenance programs and
technical publications. She leads a team of more than 1,400 team members.
“Throughout her career, Stacy has been known for mastering complex
technical issues quickly, building trust across operational organizations,
and driving solutions that improve safety, reliability and customer
experience,” said Kevin Brickner, American’s Senior Vice President of
Technical Operations. “She’s a visible, engaged leader who prioritizes
mentoring, talent development and building strong technical teams that people
want to be part of for the long term. As part of that commitment, Stacy
actively supports women pursuing careers in aviation and engineering, using
her leadership platform to encourage opportunity, allyship and professional
growth.”
Ask Morrissey what her favorite part of her job is, and the answer is
simple.
“It’s the people,” she said. “There are so many amazing people at
American. I love the way that people come together to run the operation and
drive innovative solutions to run the safest and most reliable airline
possible.”
Morrissey’s contributions to aviation reach far beyond American, as her work
is focused on strengthening the entire industry. In 2024, she joined the
Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition, which works
to prevent unauthorized parts from entering the aviation supply chain.
“Stacy’s decisive, results-driven leadership — combining rigorous
engineering judgment with an unrelenting focus on safety and reliability —
has strengthened fleet performance, accelerated predictive maintenance and
digital tools and elevated industry standards through supplier accountability
and cross industry collaboration,” said Justin Madden, A4A Vice President,
Operations and Safety. “Stacy’s continued collaboration reinforces that this
recognition is well-deserved.”
A mom of three, Morrissey holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical
engineering from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business
Administration from the University of North Texas. When she’s not leading the
team helping American run a safe and reliable operation, she also serves on the
board of directors of the Foundation for the Young Women’s Leadership Academy
of Fort Worth, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income students overcome
barriers to college access and success.
Morrissey will be honored by industry leaders this April at Aviation Week’s MRO Americas conference in Orlando,
Florida, where she will officially receive the Nuts and Bolts Award.