The Five Traits of Aviation's Youngest Movers & Shakers

Oct. 7, 2013
Top 40 Under 40 winners share more than an award distinction

As you read about the winners of our second-annual Top 40 Under 40 contest, you will find a few commonalities among the winners.

Love of Learning. They didn’t graduate from college with their Bachelor’s degree and call it a day. They have Master’s degrees, PhD’s, industry certifications, and more. And they continue to find new ways to grow and learn every day.

No “I” in TEAM. These folks know how to rally a team behind a project and get r’ done. They employ emotional intelligence with their employees and find ways to empower them. And there isn’t a single one of them who takes all the credit for the projects they’ve been a part of. Time and again, they told me how this or that project wouldn’t have been possible without their team, and it’s not just lip service: These leaders mean it!

Go Above and Beyond. These are individuals who know what their job is and then find ways to take it to the next level. Good enough is not good enough for them. They want to excel, and they do.

Giving Back. They find ways to give back and are active in their communities. Our winners teach and mentor future aviation leaders. They volunteer in community organizations. They hold seats in industry organizations and they are active participants in city, state and federal government.

A Passion for Aviation. They have a passion for what they do. It doesn’t matter if they’re in aviation finance, part of the architectural team on a new terminal, creating software for airports to use, or flying a plane. They love aviation! And they are passionate about being able to help shape its future.

Aviation’s young movers and shakers clearly know how to get the job done right, the first time and under budget, and it’s exactly these traits that make them worthy of our Top 40 Under 40 distinction.

Congrats to our winners (there is actually 41 because we had a tie among the judges)! We look forward to the year’s ahead as we watch you continue to grow and shape the future of aviation!

THUMBS UP!

Concessions for Cellphone Lots Catches On

Today's cellphone lots, where short-term parking is free for those who stay with their vehicles, are dishing up far more than just a place to park your car, with services ranging from sit-down meals to car wash services.

The trend started with Tampa International Airport in Florida, where in 2012 food trucks were allowed to park at its cellphone lot during a curbside parking rule transition. That program took off, and these days a different food truck pulls into the cellphone lot every weekday, with the schedule posted on the airport's Facebook page.

Other airports have launched food trucks and other services in their own cellphone lots including Tucson International Airport, Long Beach Airport, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

And other airports are looking to jump on the bandwagon soon. Seattle-Tacoma International and Phoenix Sky Harbor International airports are among those exploring adding food trucks and other services to cellphone lots, and Sacramento International Airport just put out a request for proposals to do the same.