Most of the industry knows there’s a serious shortage of pilots, mechanics, dispatchers, even air traffic controllers. But Salt Lake City-based Aviation Business Consultants also sees that shortage in their own sector, aviation marketing. Trying to bring fresh new minds to the community that focuses on selling the products and services the industry produces, ABCI recently awarded four scholarship to young people who expressed a serious interest in sales and marketing.
The scholarships were announced at the company’s NBAA kickoff breakfast October 16 at the Marriott Grande Vista Grill in Orlando. ABCI handed out two awards worth slightly more than $4,400 and two others worth $3,500. The two $4,400 awards went to Caile Chamberlain and Jillian Wise, with Alexis Creedy and John Chvatal taking home the slightly smaller prizes.
The winners were chosen from among dozens of entrees submitted that asked for detailed explanations of how entrants would contribute to ABCI’s Marketing Lab team, an in-house group created to provide marketing expertise to actual ABCI clients and industry thought leaders. ABCI president Paula Williams said the scholarships were not created out of pure altruism. “We need more young brains in the group and the industry.”
A glance at one of the judge’s comments said, “John Chvatal has a passion for aviation photography and a unique technical background, while Alexis Creedy has a focus on drones and safety that has not been on our radar, but should be.” Expanding the diversity of our knowledge base is incredibly important to the chemistry of the group, Williams said. “Sometimes the best relationships begin when you’re open to things a little outside of your expectations.”
