▁was ▁quoted ▁as ▁saying ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁biggest ▁reasons ▁we ▁merged ▁with ▁P ione er ▁was ▁to ▁get ▁Hard ing ." ▁ ▁Lawrence , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁mer ger ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁was ▁made ▁Cont inental ' s ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁Tra ffic . ▁He ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁Executive ▁Vice ▁President ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁remaining ▁in ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁President ▁of ▁Bran iff ▁International . ▁During ▁his ▁ten - year ▁ten ure ▁at ▁Cont inental ▁the ▁air line ▁grew ▁by ▁ 5 0 0 ▁percent . ▁ ▁Bran iff ▁International ▁Air ways ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁Lawrence ▁was ▁seen ▁throughout ▁the ▁Bran iff ▁International ▁operation ▁at ▁Dallas ▁Love ▁Field . ▁He ▁had ▁pen ▁and ▁paper ▁in ▁hand ▁and ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁watching ▁the ▁b ust ling ▁Bran iff ▁schedule ▁with ▁a ▁keen ▁intensity ▁and ▁specific ▁interest , ▁writing ▁down ▁everything ▁that ▁he ▁saw . ▁Every one ▁wonder ed ▁who ▁this ▁was ▁and ▁what ▁was ▁his ▁interest ▁in ▁Bran iff . ▁ ▁Bran iff ▁employees ▁would ▁soon ▁find ▁out ▁he ▁was ▁their ▁new ▁President , ▁h ired ▁by ▁ins urance ▁magn ate ▁T roy ▁V . ▁Post , ▁Chair man ▁of ▁Great amer ica ▁Corporation , ▁to ▁turn ▁Bran iff ▁into ▁a ▁world ▁class ▁global ▁air line . ▁Bran iff ▁co - found er ▁Thomas ▁El mer ▁Bran iff ▁was ▁an ▁ins urance ▁magn ate ▁and ▁now ▁the ▁third