Ralph M. Bahna (August 23, 1942 – February 24, 2014) was an American
business executive
A business executive is a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.
Executives run companies or government agencies. They create plans to help their organizations g ...
. Bahna served as the
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of
Cunard Line
Cunard () is a British shipping and cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its three ships have been registered in Hamilton, Berm ...
from 1980 until 1989 and Chairman of
Priceline.com
Priceline.com is an online travel agency for finding discount rates for travel-related purchases such as airline tickets and hotel stays. The company facilitates the provision of travel services from its suppliers to its clients. Priceline.com ...
from 2004 to 2013.
He also founded
Club Quarters
Club Quarters Hotels are full-service hotels designed for business travelers with locations in the U.S. and U.K. Club Quarters was founded by American business executive Ralph Bahna, who opened the first Club Quarters Hotel on West 45th Street ...
, a membership-based chain of
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
s aimed at business travelers.
[
]
Early life
Bahna was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...
, on August 23, 1942.[ He was the youngest of two children of Ralph and Frieda (]née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Mushro) Bahna.[ His father was a ]lawyer
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...
.[ Bahna did not have a ]middle name
In various cultures, a middle name is a portion of a personal name that is written between the person's first given name and their surname.
A middle name is often abbreviated and is then called middle initial or just initial.
A person may be ...
, so he later added the initial "M" to his name.[ He enrolled at the ]University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
in Ann Arbor
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...
, where he competed as a Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
wrestler (He won the 123-pound title as a college senior).[ Bahna obtained a ]bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
from the University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
in 1964.[ In 1965, he received a ]Master of Business Administration
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
from the Haas School of Business
The Walter A. Haas School of Business, also known as Berkeley Haas, is the business school of the University of California, Berkeley, a public research university in Berkeley, California. It was the first business school at a public university i ...
at the University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
.[
]
TWA
Bahna was hired for the commercial sales department of Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with F ...
(TWA). He became especially interested in business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary, by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between ...
, an airline travel class
A travel class is a quality of accommodation on public transport. The accommodation could be a seat or a cabin for example. Higher travel classes are designed to be more comfortable and are typically more expensive.
Airlines
Traditionally ...
which was developing within the aviation industry during the 1960s and 1970s.[ He created a new plan for a potential TWA business class, with specific onboard ]amenities
In property and land use planning, amenity (lat. ''amoenitās'' “pleasantness, delightfulness”) is something considered to benefit a location, contribute to its enjoyment, and thereby increase its value.
Tangible amenities can include the ...
and seating areas.[ Once Bahna created his plan, he spent two years persuading TWA's executives to implement his idea, which became known as TWA’s Ambassador Class.][ The program was priced less than first class, but offered many of the amenities to business travelers.][ Ambassador Class revived TWA's profits and sparked similar business class programs throughout the ]airline industry
An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in which ...
.[
]
Cunard
In 1973, Bahna became the head of Cunard Line
Cunard () is a British shipping and cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its three ships have been registered in Hamilton, Berm ...
's North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
n division at the age of 30, having been promoted from his previous position of Vice President of marketing and sales.[ He was further promoted to Cunard's President and COO of worldwide operations in 1977, when he was just 34 years old.][
In 1981, Bahna became the ]CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of Cunard, becoming the first American to head Cunard's global operations.[ Cunard had suffered financial losses in 1979, so Bahna implemented as series of ]austerity
Austerity is a set of political-economic policies that aim to reduce government budget deficits through spending cuts, tax increases, or a combination of both. There are three primary types of austerity measures: higher taxes to fund spend ...
measures aimed at cutting costs.[ For example, he negotiated a series of ]concession
Concession may refer to:
General
* Concession (contract) (sometimes called a concession agreement), a contractual right to carry on a certain kind of business or activity in an area, such as to explore or develop its natural resources or to opera ...
s, including cuts in pay increases, from British labor union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
s.[
Bahna moved planned renovations on the ]Queen Elizabeth 2
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' (''QE2'') is a retired British ocean liner converted into a floating hotel. Originally built for the Cunard Line, the ship, named as the second ship named ''Queen Elizabeth'', was operated by Cunard as both a transatlantic ...
(QE2) from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
to the Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. For most of the 20th century, it was one of the world's largest steel producing and shipbuilding companies. At the height of its succe ...
ship yard
A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...
in Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne ( ) is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is situated on a peninsula located between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill Van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east. As of ...
, where work would be cheaper.[ The move allowed the QE2 to sail directly to the ]Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
during the peak winter season once renovations were complete. During the mid-1980s, Bahna also oversaw the QE2's transformation from steam power to diesel power, which added an estimated 20 years to the lifespan of the ship.[
Bahna is credited not only with saving the QE2, but also with shaping the modern cruise industry itself.][ Bahna oversaw Cunard's acquisition of ]Norwegian America Line
The Norwegian America Line ( no, Den Norske Amerikalinje), was a shipping line, originally an operator of ocean liners and cargo ships. Founded in 1910, the company ran a regular transatlantic service between Norway and the United States, and late ...
in 1983.[ In 1986, Bahna spearheaded Cunard's purchase of two ]cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as "s ...
s, the Sea Goddess I and Sea Goddess I, from Norske Cruise.[ Bahna also pioneered cruises to ]Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
, which departed and disembarked at different ports of call.[ Trips to Alaska (along with separate departure and ending ports) are now a very common practice with the cruise industry.][
Ralph Bahna struck a deal with ]British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
. The partnership allowed Cunard passengers to sail across the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
on board a Cunard ship. The passengers could then return to the United Kingdom by flying on British Airways' Concorde
The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde () is a retired Franco-British supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC).
Studies started in 1954, and France an ...
.[ Cunard was soon the single largest purchaser of Concorde seats.][
One of the key aspects of his management style was the extraordinary manner he treated employees. During his tenure at Cunard, every employee was accorded the opportunity to try every product in the best available class of service at the time of booking. In this way every person in the company had first-hand knowledge of the quality of the product as a customer—from first class transatlantic crossings, to the Concorde, to staying at the Ritz in London.
Bahna stepped down as Cunard's CEO in 1989.
]
Club Quarters
In 1994, Bahna founded Club Quarters
Club Quarters Hotels are full-service hotels designed for business travelers with locations in the U.S. and U.K. Club Quarters was founded by American business executive Ralph Bahna, who opened the first Club Quarters Hotel on West 45th Street ...
, a membership-based hotel chain aimed at business travelers. Bahna opened the first Club Quarters hotel on West 45th Street in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...
.[ In a 2012 interview, Bahna outlined his original goal for Club Quarters, saying he wanted "to have the best locations, be full service, charge less, and still make a big profit."][ Under Bahna, the chain expanded to new locations near major corporate and ]financial center
A financial centre ( BE), financial center ( AE), or financial hub, is a location with a concentration of participants in banking, asset management, insurance or financial markets with venues and supporting services for these activities to t ...
s. There are now Club Quarters branches located in major cities throughout the United States, as well as London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
Priceline.com
Ralph Bahna joined the board of directors
A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...
of Priceline.com
Priceline.com is an online travel agency for finding discount rates for travel-related purchases such as airline tickets and hotel stays. The company facilitates the provision of travel services from its suppliers to its clients. Priceline.com ...
in 1998 when the website was established.[ Founded by ]Jay S. Walker
Jay Scott Walker (born November 5, 1955) is an American entrepreneur and chairman of Walker Digital, a privately held research and development lab focused on using digital networks to create new business systems. Walker is also curator of TEDMED ...
, Priceline.com became a public company
A public company is a company whose ownership is organized via shares of stock which are intended to be freely traded on a stock exchange or in over-the-counter markets. A public (publicly traded) company can be listed on a stock exchange (l ...
in 1998. Bahna became the chairman of Priceline.com in 2004, a position he held until his retirement on January 1, 2013.[
]
Later life
In 2009, he and his wife, Dorothy, donated much of the funding needed to construct the Bahna Wrestling Center at his alma mater, the University of Michigan.[
Bahna died from cardiac failure at ]New York-Presbyterian Hospital The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City affiliated with two Ivy League medical schools, Cornell University and Columbia University. The hospital comprises seven distinct campuses located in the New Y ...
in Manhattan, New York City, on February 24, 2014, at the age of 71.[ He was survived by his wife, Dorothy Ballard; three children: Laura Lovejoy, Deborah Chrabolowski, and Adam; and eight grandchildren.][ Bahna had been a resident of ]Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford () is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, outside of Manhattan. It is Connecticut's second-most populous city, behind Bridgeport. With a population of 135,470, Stamford passed Hartford and New Haven in population as of the 2020 ...
.
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahna, Ralph
1942 births
2014 deaths
American chief executives of travel and tourism industry companies
American business executives
American company founders
Hotel executives
Cunard Line
Trans World Airlines people
American aviation businesspeople
Haas School of Business alumni
University of Michigan alumni
Businesspeople from Grand Rapids, Michigan
People from Stamford, Connecticut