Top 40 Under 40: Adam Lunn

Dec. 3, 2014

Adam Lunn – Bio (300 Words)

Adam began his career in aviation as an intern at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida.  In three short years Adam has climbed the ranks from an intern to that of the Airport Operations Coordinator.  Since coming to Lakeland, he has upgraded the Airport’s annual part 139 training program, successfully created a Spill Prevention Control and Counter Measures Plan and redesigned and upgraded the Airport’s maps.

Adam is actively engaged in sharing his passion for aviation and the promotion of aviation benefits in the local community.  He has been a guest speaker and workshop leader at the Aerospace Educators’ Workshops held during the annual Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In and Expo.  Additionally, Adam has been a guest speaker at numerous organizational meetings such as the Central Florida Pilots’ Association and the Great American Teach-In.   Outside the aviation community he completed the Summer Leadership Program led by the Lakeland Economic Development Council and was nominated for Leadership Lakeland which identifies existing and emerging leaders in the community.

Adam continually strives to learn more about aviation and become a well-rounded member of the aviation community.  He earned his Bachelor of Science Management from the University of South Florida and his Master of Business Administration from Florida Southern College.  He is an Airport Certified Employee (A.C.E.) in Operations, a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and is currently working to complete his Private Pilot’s License.

Why did you select aviation as a career?

My interest in aviation began in middle school after completing a unit on WWII. My project involved researching the aircraft used in both theaters of the war. As my project developed I soon could not read enough about aviation.  Coincidentally, at nearly the same time, my father brought home a flyer about a new aviation summer camp at Sun ‘n Fun and the Florida Air Museum called Destination Aviation. Of course I wanted to sign up right away and was soon attending the first camp held. Throughout the week long camp we learned about the basics of flight, flight planning and the history of aviation. The week ended with a short cross country flight and from that moment on I knew I had been bitten by the “Aviation Bug”. My path to a career in aviation was also guided by many mentors including a former NASA Astronaut, a Commercial and former Top Gun pilot, and the many Sun ‘n Fun volunteers I worked with throughout High School. Seeing their enthusiasm and passion for their careers as well as developing my own love for aviation contributed to my determination to pursue a career in aviation.

What advice from a mentor helped you the most in your career?

On the final day of class, one of my professors at the University of South Florida told us to “never stop learning and always push yourself to be better than you are today.”

What is the biggest challenge you see facing aviation today?

The biggest challenge facing aviation today is increasing the number of people choosing to pursue a career in aviation. I highly encourage everyone to reach out to your local communities and encourage others to join in on this fast paced and dynamic industry we all are so passionate about. Whether it’s participating in a local aviation event or starting an internship program at your company; educating others is a crucial part in promoting the growth and success of the aviation industry.

What advice would you give to others in the industry?

I believe networking and maintaining high ethical standards is critical to the success of the aviation industry. It is important to build connections with others in the industry, local communities, and government agencies. Those connections are critical for not only individual success but the success of the company. There have been multiple occasions where chance meetings have turned into multimillion dollar deals that ultimately benefit everyone on the airfield and the community at large. I also believe ethics has to remain at the forefront of all ventures.  Every decision made will affect not only the company but the people and community in which your business resides. Building connections through networking will lead your business to new and exciting opportunities but maintaining high ethical standards while doing so will lead to further growth and enhance partnerships.

What are three things we don’t know about you?

I had the honor of assisting with the planning and coordination of the first Honor Flight for our World War II Veterans out of Lakeland, Florida. It was an amazing project and it gave me great pleasure to be involved in honoring our World War II Veterans. We had over 3,000 people in attendance to welcome them home.

By the age of 17 I accumulated over 800 volunteer hours with the Florida Air Museum, Sun ‘n Fun and the Destination Aviation Summer Camp program. 

I love to travel. To date I have visited 16 states and 5 countries.  Eventually, I hope to visit all 50 of the United States of America.