Airport_Business_November_2020 - 44

UNDER

Heath Montgomery
With over 16 years of combined experience in journalism and
public relations, Heath Montgomery knows how to tell a story.
" At my core, I consider myself a storyteller and, fortunately for
me, airports are really endless stories, " he said. " The best part
of my job is finding new and creative ways to tell the story
about LAX. "
Montgomery made the transition to public relations after a
decade in journalism, and not long after was referred by a
friend to an open media relations director position at the
Denver International Airport (DEN) - where he caught the
aviation bug.
" The entire experience in Denver really hooked me more than I
ever expected it would have, " Montgomery
Hometown: Arvada, CO
said.
Alma Mater: University of Northern Colorado
" The first time I got to stand next to a
Fun fact about yourself: My first professional
runway, and I remember it very clearly,
experience with an airport was when I was a
there was a 787-9 Dreamliner that Boeing
journalist. I ended up running across an active
was still putting through trials and it was
municipal runway after some very bad advice from
coming through Denver, " he continued. " I
a local police officer.
got to stand next to the runway and take
Someone I look up to in the industry:
video of it taking off right next to me. And
Stacey Stegman, Becca Doten
I think that was the moment that really
My favorite thing about aviation is:
hooked me on aviation. "
Aviation is such a dynamic industry, and every day
When he arrived at DEN in 2013,
is different, challenging and rewarding in new
Montgomery rebuilt the airport's social
and unexpected ways. It touches our community
media program into one of the industry's
more than most people realize, and enables us to
most engaging airports. Seeing an
connect with the world.

opportunity to change the way airports engaged their
passengers and employees, he created a sense of place and a
voice that relied on being authentic, funny and highly sharable.
One of Montgomery's winning strategies was leaning into
DEN's conspiracy theories, which include underground aliens
and secret government bunkers. Construction updates on the
" bunker " highlighted the real terminal hotel construction;
April Fools pranks helped showcase exceptional artwork and
architecture; and Darth Vader gave a tour of the airfield to
highlight DEN's operations.
In addition, he has handled crisis communications for bomb
threats, terminal evacuations, aircraft fires, emergency
landings and a pandemic.
Montgomery has won numerous awards from ACI-NA and
others, including the Skift Most Effective Brand on Social
Media.
Currently, Montgomery is the director of public relations, Los
Angeles International Airport (LAX), leading public relations,
social media and media events for the nation's second-busiest
airport during the simultaneous challenges of a massive $14
billion modernization program and the COVID-19 pandemic.
" I have had the good fortune of representing two of the finest
airports in this country, in my opinion, " Montgomery said.
" If something you do doesn't make you sit for a second and
marvel at where you are and how you got there, it's not the
right place for you and airports make me feel like that all the
time; I know I'm in the right place. "

www.AviationPros.com/21149645

Shea Joachim, CEcD

Hometown: Mesa, AZ
Alma Mater: Pomona
College; Arizona State
University
Fun fact about yourself:
I grew up on the Big Island of
Hawaii

Shea Joachim has served as the director of business
development for the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority
for the past four years. His role at Gateway Airport includes
managing all the real estate assets of the airport, including
the development of more than 1,000 acres of surrounding
aeronautical and non-aeronautical land.
" In my current role I enjoy organizing and motivating a
team of professionals focused on driving financial results for
the airport, " he said. " I'm fortunate to work with a group of
individuals who are self-motivated and thrive in a fast-paced,
dynamic work environment. "
Joachim was instrumental in the development and
announcement of SkyBridge Arizona. SkyBridge brought the
nation's first and only joint air cargo inspection facility to
house both U.S. and Mexican customs agents to facilitate
trade between the U.S. and Mexico.
SkyBridge Arizona is set to become a driving force in the
Greater Phoenix metropolitan area economy, contributing a
projected total of $3.8 billion to the gross regional product
while adding 6,400 direct jobs and 8,400 indirect jobs.
He has also attracted several other aerospace-related
companies in his short tenure, including a 50,000 squarefoot hanger that will be home to a Belgian-based company,
Aerocircular; a 65,000-square-foot corporate headquarters/
hangar for Aviation Performance Solutions; and a
187,000-square-foot speculative hangar at the north end of
the Airport in Gateway Executive Park.

Joachim has demonstrated an astonishing ability to retain
business as Gateway Airport has leased 100 percent of its
available real estate for the first time in its history.
" My current duties are primarily focused on leveraging airport
assets to drive financial results, " Joachim said. " What is
unique, and very interesting, about the aviation industry is the
level competition combined with the amount of regulation.
" I enjoy the challenge of finding new and innovative ways
to create opportunity for the airport while maintaining
compliance and mitigating downside risk. "

www.AviationPros.com/21149629

44 \ AIRPORTBUSINESS / NOVEMBER 2020

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