The Silicon Valley Business Journal has honored movers and shakers in its first checklist “Silicon Valley Power 100.”
The inaugural honorees have been chosen by the editorial workers of the Journal, which chosen people they outlined because the “ones whose words cause ripples on Wall Street and whose decisions affect tens of thousands.” Included on that checklist is San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) Director of Aviation, John Aitken.
Honorees within the inaugural checklist have been chosen based mostly on nominations assembly the next standards:
• Influencers who’re both redefining what Silicon Valley is all about or enhancing what’s already working properly within the area.
• Leaders which can be adeptly navigating their firms and organizations by means of challenges and capitalizing on rising alternatives.
• Visionaries who’ve distinctive insights concerning the future and are motivating others to observe them.
• Game changers, individuals who 10 or 20 years from now we’ll say, “they changed history.”
The checklist locations Aitken amongst Silicon Valley’s elite leaders, together with CEOs of the three largest firms in Silicon Valley — Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc.
“Congratulations to John Aitken, under whose leadership San José Mineta International Airport became the nation’s fastest growing airport and received global recognition for safety and use of technology,” mentioned San José Mayor Matt Mahan. “It is great to work with a leader who combines deep technical expertise with a dogged commitment to quality service for the more than 11 million passengers served by SJC each year.”
Of his position at SJC, Aitken says that he’s impressed by “the spirit of creativity and innovation here at the airport, at City Hall and in our Silicon Valley,” main a crew of over 200 workers that he calls “dedicated, creative, and forward-thinking employees.” He will have fun 30 years at SJC this yr and has served as Airport Director since 2017.
Aitken led the Airport’s 2001 title change in honor of former San José Mayor, Norman Y. Mineta, as its namesake. Mineta’s actions after 9/11 as US Transportation Secretary cemented the nation’s present Aviation security infrastructure and established the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Aitken’s management additionally drove SJC’s rise to distinction because the fastest-growing airport within the nation previous to COVID. The Airport emerged from the pandemic distinguished as the primary US Airport to obtain accreditation by the Global Bio-risk Advisory Council (GBAC) for its dedication to the very best ranges of security and cleanliness.
Aitken and his tenure are additionally recognized to have pushed SJC to turn into a beacon for Airport innovation. The Airport was the primary within the US to introduce remedy animals in its terminals after 9/11, and repeatedly infuses know-how with Customer Service, itemizing examples equivalent to automated wheelchairs and particular in-terminal companies for vacationers with disabilities, set up of recent applied sciences equivalent to self-sanitizing escalator handrails throughout COVID, and final yr being named Alaska Airlines’ innovation hub.
Aitken is an instrument-rated industrial pilot and holds a Bachelor of Science diploma from Florida Institute of Technology in Aviation Management and MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Aviation Management. He is an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.) and is a Board Member of Joint Venture Silicon Valley.
Aitken’s nomination highlighted his management by means of devastating pandemic journey disruptions and his efforts to develop the airport’s dimension, together with the addition of non permanent gates close to Terminal B, geared toward changing into everlasting gates in a brand new terminal. He can also be credited with the current rebranding of the Airport, which is the principle aerial gateway to Silicon Valley. SJC is a self-supporting division of the City of San José and isn’t funded by taxpayer {dollars}.
