Gary Kelly is D CEO’s 2009 CEO of the Year

We’ve been closely guarding the secret for weeks. Last night it was revealed. This morning you read the headline of this post, rendering my next statement redundant: Gary Kelly of Southwest Airlines is the 2009 D CEO of the Year.

A crowd of more than 250 invited guests from the local business community descended upon the Collins Executive Education Center at SMU last night for the big announcement. Kelly said it’s been awhile since he received any kind of award. “I had to go all the way back to the third grade. In third grade, I was the Good Citizen of the Year.”

Wick introduced Kelly by noting the challenges he’s had to face in his role, including having to follow a legend, Southwest founder Herb Kelleher (who was also in attendance, along with much of the airline’s management team.) On taking over “the best job in the world” from Kelleher, Kelly said “It’s like going to your dad — and Herb is as old as my dad — and him giving you the keys to a shiny new car and saying ‘Son, don’t wreck this thing.'”

The CEO of the year is chosen by local executives, through a survey taken annually by the SMU Cox School of Business. Participants are also asked their perspectives on a wide range of business matters. SMU professor Miguel Quinones presented some of the findings (all of which can be found in the new D CEO.) In terms of the business outlook locally, “The big question for us is ‘when will the consumers come back?'” he said.

My big question is, what Halloween costume has Gary Kelly chosen to top his outfits from the past couple years?