Jeff Lamb

Session: Value Based Risk Management

Jeff Lamb

As President and Chief Operating Officer of Vari, Jeff oversees corporate strategy and has led the charge for the development of VariSpace, the company’s new commercial real estate venture.

Jeff joined the fast-growing private company, which recently won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award, in 2018 to help it scale. Vari, best known as the creators of the VariDesk sit-stand desk, has experienced incredible growth and significant expansion of its business-to-business products and services in recent years.

Jeff has 38 years of corporate leadership and board experience, spanning nine industries. His “people first” approach to operational models was born working for Roger Staubach and developed over 12 years working at Southwest Airlines. He began his culture tutelage at Southwest under Colleen Barrett, President Emeritus, and then spent another eight years fine-tuning people-centric strategies for the company’s Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly.

At Southwest, his signature accomplishments include serving as Chief Integration Officer for the AirTran Airlines acquisition, launching Southwest Airlines University while in the role of Chief People Officer, developing the Emerging Leadership Development Program (ELDP), transforming a 2,000-employee Technology & Corporate Delivery function, and constructing more than $3 billion worth of office space and airports.

While Jeff has hands-on experience leading almost every corporate function, most of his experience is in human resources, training, culture, real estate, supply chain, security, and technology. He has also led teams tasked with finance, customer experience, legal, aviation, risk management, and corporate delivery, as well as over a dozen mergers and acquisitions.

Jeff invests much of his personal time back into the community and has a true heart for philanthropy. In addition to his service on both public and private boards like ClubCorp (Chair of Compensation Committee) and Highland Homes, Jeff serves on the national board of Make-A-Wish, Children’s Hospital Dallas, Lionheart Children’s Academy, and Cornerstone Community Development Corporation.

He and his wife Kim have been married for 36 years and have three married daughters and four grandchildren. They all reside in Coppell, Texas.