Search Underway for Missing United Airlines Executive

Illinois authorities and volunteers began a massive search Friday for a missing United Airlines executive.

Jake Cefolia, the carrier’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales, was last seen on Thursday night, August 6, and was reported missing on Saturday, August 8.

Police, K-9 units and more than 100 volunteers are searching for Cefolia near the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in suburban Chicago, where United’s global headquarters is located. The 49-year-old Cefolia was a resident of nearby Elmhurst.

“He commonly ran; we have 9 or 10-mile loop here at the forest preserve, so he’s an athletic 49-year-old gentleman,” Chief David Peterson, with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, told ABC7 Chicago. “We don’t know for sure he’s still at the forest preserve, but at this point there’s been no contact with family or friends.”

In a statement, United Airlines said: “Our friend and colleague, Jake Cefolia, SVP of Worldwide Sales, was last seen Thursday evening, August 6th. We’re concerned about his well-being and have been in touch with Jake’s family over the last couple of days to offer them our support. At the request of the family, we won’t be releasing any additional details at this time.”

Cefolia has been with United since 2007 and assumed his current position in 2018. He recently appeared on a webcast panel entitled, “Travel, Our Future and Yours: A Series of Conversations With Industry Leaders.”

United asked that if you have any information that could be helpful in locating Cefolia, please contact the Elmhurst Police Department at (630) 530-3050.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an evolving story. TravelPulse will update this story as news dictates.