Airport_Business_November_2020 - 20

UNDER

Jeremy Dalkoff
It's creating an experience that the passenger will remember
that drives Jeremy Dalkoff.
" I love the art of working with partners to create a meaningful
travel experience for customers around the country. In my
job, I work with airports, airlines, concessionaires, ACDBE
partners, chefs, coffee roasters, bakers and more to create a
special environment for passengers. It's rewarding to work on
something tangible that you can touch and feel, " said Dalkoff.
Dalkoff, who has over a decade of experience in the airport
industry, helped create the Centurion Lounge while working
for American Express. As project lead, he led business
development and had oversight on the day-to-day project
management of the various site builds. He was responsible
Hometown: Oceanside, NY
for signing and opening
the first seven Centurion
Alma Mater: University of Maryland, College Park; Georgetown
Lounges, from 2012-2017.
University
Dalkoff's expertise has
Fun fact about yourself: I have a personal goal of walking
provided new revenue op30,000 steps (15 miles) each day. I don't mind long days visiting
airports for meetings as I am known to explore every nook and cranny
portunities to airports via
in the terminal to get my steps in. (During COVID-19 with no travel, I
improved parking technolocan often be found walking circles around my house).
gies, Wi-Fi/sensing/connectivity solutions, wayfinding
Someone I look up to in the industry: Herb Kelleher - former
CEO of Southwest Airlines. Under Herb's leadership, SWA developed a
and lounge development.
unique business model much different than the other airlines and was
Now the vice president
able to create what was known as " the Southwest effect. "
of commercial - escape
My favorite thing about aviation is: You can fall asleep in one
lounges at MAG USA,
place and wake up in an entirely different world.
Dalkoff
works
with
airports in North America

to drive an enhanced passenger journey with a premium
common use lounge experience, incorporating partners
across the airport ecosystem. Prior to joining MAG, Dalkoff
was a director of client strategy at Intersection, a technology
and media company focused on using technology to drive
enhanced user experiences.
" I love that in the industry I work in everybody knows
and understands firsthand. Airports, travel and airplanes everyone has an opinion on how it can be better and what
you can do differently. I enjoy working to enhance the travel
experience - making a difference to improve someone's day, "
Dalkoff said.
Currently, Dalkoff maintains a close partnership with
American Express, as MAG is a key member of the American
Express Global Lounge Collection program.
Thomas Gannon, former colleague and global head of design
and construction at American Express has nothing but praise
for Dalkoff.
" As a result of Jeremy's leadership, unabating perseverance
and strong business acumen this program that was launched
as a single prototype in Las Vegas in 2012 has now grown to
a Globally Recognized Brand and lounge of choice for savvy
business travelers everywhere, " Gannon said.
Over his career, Dalkoff's work has earned him the 2007
Georgetown Business Plan Competition Winner, 2012
American Express Chairman's Award and the 2013 American
Express President's Achievement Award.

www.AviationPros.com/21149656

Mo. Ashmawy

Hometown: Cairo,
EgyptCA
San Diego,
Alma Mater: HTI
Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University
Fun fact about yourself: If
IFun
am off,
colleagues
alwaysI
factmyabout
yourself:
say,
missed your loud hearty
am awe
triplet
giggle.
Someone I look up to in
My
about
the favorite
industry:thing
Joe Lopano,
aviation
is: That
Sean Donohue
andaviation
Kim Day.is
about connecting people and this
My favorite thing about
what always my life aim.
aviation is: Our ability to
adapt to constant changes,
challenges and opportunities.
My dream aviation job: I'd
love to run an airport one day.

When Mo. Ashmawy was a child, he would wait for his father
to return from trips across the world, wanting to hear stories
about each country's culture, food, history and the souvenirs.
He would go with to pick up or drop off his father at the airport
for each trip, which turned it into his dream gateway to the
world.
" I enjoy being a passenger and always relish the entire
experience, even when it is painful, like when your luggage
been delayed or exotic, like when you have been upgraded to
first-class because of double booking. Both of these accidents
happened to me on one trip, " he said. " And the moment I
was offered a role in an airport project, I did not think twice
even though it required relocation and for 12 years now, I am
enjoying building airports. "
As an aviation manager-project controls for AECOM, Ashmawy
gets to manage complex aviation projects at airports. He has
more than 10 years of a diverse career in the aviation sector.
This experience has enabled him to build a robust set of
transferable skills to lead the aviation complex programs from
inception until completion including Operational Readiness,
Activation and Transition (ORAT).
His soft landing concept is inspired by the Federal Aviation
Administration FAA Pilot Capabilities vs. Task Requirements
during the various phases of any given flight and project
closeout is another area where even the best-laid plans begin
to unravel.
Ashmawy highlighted that transferring a construction building
to functioning airports is the art of dealing with complexity at

every level from business, operational and process, each level
exhibits a high degree of high entropy.
He's passionate about aviation, loves the challenge of building
consensus with numerous stakeholders to manage the
expectations from concept through completion on complex
programs, which is more apparent on aviation projects,
where close coordination with the construction management
is ongoing to limit the impact to airport's readiness for
operations.
" The challenge of managing complex aviation projects
and aligning numerous stakeholders to reach the day one
of operation makes me excited about what I am doing, " he
said. " We say airport projects are a city-in-a-box. You have
everything you can imagine running a city within the airport
facilities, so when you are lucky to live the experience of
delivering a mega airport, it considers the most advanced
work experience.
" I feel lucky as I was part of two mega airports, working with
ARINC in DOH 6.5 million square feet and AECOM in the AUH
8 million square feet projects in the last 12 years. "

www.AviationPros.com/21149583

20 \ AIRPORTBUSINESS / NOVEMBER 2020

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