ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Family, friends and community leaders are mourning the death of a bank executive on a Southwest Airlines jet that blew an engine as she was flying home from a business trip to New York.
Jennifer Riordan, a mother of two, was well known in New Mexico, where she had built a career over more than two decades in community relations and communications after graduating from the University of New Mexico.
Gov. Susana Martinez called Riordan “an incredible woman who put her family and community first” and said her loss would be felt across the state.
“The hearts of all New Mexicans are with the Riordan family,” Martinez, a Republican, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Before starting with Wells Fargo in 2008, Riordan had worked for the University of New Mexico hospital system in public relations and for Citi Corp.
At Wells Fargo, she was the vice-president for community relations and was in charge of managing employee volunteer and board service to non-profit groups in New Mexico and parts of Texas. She also served on numerous boards and oversaw the annual United Way community campaign.
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Mayor Tim Keller said his thoughts and prayers were with Riordan’s family.
“Today, Albuquerque lost a thoughtful leader who has long been part of the fabric of our community,” Keller, a Democrat, said in a statement.
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Southwest Airlines passenger describes emergency landing -
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Keller said Riordan’s leadership and philanthropic efforts “made this a better place every day and she will be terribly missed.”
State Attorney General Hector Balderas called Riordan a dear friend.
“I was honoured to work with her on financial literacy issues for over a decade,” said Balderas, a Democrat.
“Jennifer was exceptionally active and passionate in working to improve our community, and I express our sincerest condolences to her husband and children.”
Members of the broadcast community shared their condolences on social media, remembering the volunteer efforts and community outreach spurred by Riordan through her many roles in the community.
WATCH: Southwest flight makes emergency landing after engine explodes, blowing out window in plane
In a tweet, the New Mexico Broadcasters Association expressed its heartbreak over Riordan’s death, noting that she was a former board member and scholarship winner.
Riordan also served on the boards of Junior Achievement of New Mexico, New Mexico First and The Catholic Foundation.
Riordan and her husband, Michael Riordan, a former chief operating officer for Albuquerque, had been married for more than 20 years.
The pilot of the plane, a twin-engine Boeing 737 bound from New York to Dallas with 149 people aboard, took it into a rapid descent and made an emergency landing in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Southwest Airlines Co., which is based in Dallas, said there were no problems with the plane or its engine when it was inspected on Sunday.
WATCH: Officials slowly released details about the plane emergency throughout the day Tuesday
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Southwest Airlines CEO says crew handled incident in Philadelphia ‘magnificently’ -
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Southwest Airlines CEO says it’s not known what caused engine failure in Philadelphia incident -
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Southwest Airlines says it’s not aware of issues with plane involved in emergency landing -
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NTSB: ‘1 Fatality’ on Southwest flight that made emergency landing -
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Passenger transported to hospital in critical condition off Southwest flight
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