Praise for chairmen past, from AMR's Crandall to Southwest's Kelleher

Kudos, or even kudoses. Well, several congratulations anyway. One to Herb (Kelleher, but he's known by his first name almost universally). Herb stepped down as chairman of Southwest Airlines at its annual meeting the other day, and promptly ceded his title to the youngster who has taken his other past job, chief executive: That's Gary Kelly, who became chief executive 2004 in and will become president in July, when another one of Southwest's icons, Colleen Barrett, retires form that post. The trio was effusive in their praise of each other. And Southwest pilots joined in the praise, lamenting the fact that they are negotiating their first contract without Herb.