2019 Airport Business Top 40 Under 40: Jeff Taylor

Growing up in  Amelia Island, Florida, just outside of Jacksonville, Florida, Jeff Taylor’s life always had a connection with aviation.

His parents worked for airlines, so he spent a lot of time at the airport. His artwork as a child was even displayed in the terminal at Jacksonville International Airport.

He said it always felt like a second home.

“The airport itself has an incredibly dynamic and complex environment filled with multiple operations that really streamline the passenger’s journey,” he said. “The complexity of that environment is really interesting to me.”   

Taylor is the senior properties administrator for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA). His duties include overseeing the internal concession program  at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX).

“Now I’m leasing a lot of the properties I used to remember growing up with,” he said.

Taylor played an integral role in the opening of The Club JAX. His nomination notes Taylor worked with the project team every step of the way through development. He assisted the team in making connections with the local business community and worked with the airport’s in-house marketing team to spread the message about the project.

“With that operator having the shared goal of elevating and enhancing the passenger experience is really what has made it so successful and has made them a successful partner with us,” he said. “Customer service is one of the top priorities in our role as an airport operator.”

Taylor also assisted in the project’s art element by connecting planners with a local curator to connect the team with the right local artists.

Taylor’s nominations note his level of professionalism, passion and knowledge of the airport industry, and his excitement to identify innovative ways to assist JAA’s overall mission of client engagement and satisfaction.

“I hope the legacy that I leave behind is making Jacksonville more of a sense of place of our community in northeast Florida.