The Hold Room Airport Consultants Council

Today in the Hold Room we are talking to Michael Lindsey and Brandon Thrasher of HLB about equity in lighting and what an impact lighting can have on the passenger experience. What we learn is that it’s not just the lighting itself that can influence a person’s emotions in a space, but its impacts on the surrounding spaces, backgrounds, textures, and the interplay of natural lighting and electric/artificial lighting. Please join is to hear more about what considerations and questions are important throughout the design process to maximize the passenger experience and provide equity in lighting.
The Hold Room, Season 2 Episode 22 – Michael Lindsey and Brandon Thrasher


Transcript

[Introduction]


TJ: Welcome to The Hold Room with ACC: a quick update on all things relating to airport development as well as the Airport Consultants Council.


Laura Canham: This episode is part of the passenger experience headers hosted by ACC's Terminal and Facilities Committee in this series. We are collecting the experiences and perspectives about the future of passenger travel, including changing demographics such as the US population, aging and becoming more multicultural, new technologies, labor, and supply chain. Shortages and what the future may have in store. Thank you for joining us in the Hold Room.

 


[Interview]


Carrie Wojcik: Welcome back to the Hold Room, everyone. We're really excited to have Michael Lindsey and Brandon Thrasher with us from HLB. I think it would be really great to kick off this interview by having you both introduce yourself.


Michael Lindsey: Appreciate that. I'll jump in first. So again, my name is Michael Lindsey and I'm an associate principal with HLB lighting design. I actually began my journey in the lighting design field about 17 years ago as an intern for our Los Angeles office and I was lucky enough to join the staff full time and haven't looked back since. In 2016, I returned home to Colorado. It's where I grew up and originally from and spearheaded the opening of our Denver office. So, it was a geographic expansion for our firm and it started with just me and one other individual. And I think now we're at about 18 individuals here in the office. So, something I'm really proud about and, you know, really the beauty of what our industry of lighting design and our firm offer is this variety of project type and market sector. So, in my 17 years now in the industry I've really worked on every different type of project out there, whether it's a small and intimate kind of 600 square foot elevator lobby or a million square foot aviation terminal. As it relates to the goals that I have within industry, really top of mind to me is education. Education about what it is that we do as a lighting design professional. Ahead of my time were really true pioneers in our industry who helped establish the foundation of our profession. And I'm lucky enough to be standing here today because of that. But the reality is that our work isn't done myself and my other industry colleagues are always looking to educate and let people know what it is we do and the value we bring to the environment. We are always striving to have lighting design with a seat at the table a little bit about me, I'll hand it over to you, Brandon.

Brandon Thrasher: Yeah. Thanks, Michael. I'm Brandon Thrasher. I'm a senior principal with HLB and I'm the managing principal of our San Francisco office. My journey kicked off a little bit differently. I started off in theatrical lighting design and I really dove into crafting designs for live events and museum work when I first started. But life takes its twists and I gradually got pulled into the architectural aspect of the field and I've really been hooked ever since. I also had a stent at Henderson Engineers and during my time there I took on the role of the Director for their architectural lighting group. It was kind of interesting to me because I didn't come from an engi

Today in the Hold Room Laura and Carrie talk with Director of Transit at Dimensional Innovations Paul Martin. Dimensional Innovations specializes in creating immersive experiences and tackling facility specific problems. Laura and Carrie dive deep on the simulation flight Dimensional Innovations provides for MCI – Kansas City International Airport to accommodate first time passengers and those who have a fear of flying. Please join us to learn more about simulations and experiences that provide “Positive Distractions” for passengers. 

TJ: Welcome to The Hold Room with ACC: a quick update on all things relating to airport development as well as the Airport Consultants Council.


Laura Canham: This episode is part of the Passenger Experience series hosted by ACC’s Terminal and Facilities Committee. In this series, we are collecting the experiences and perspectives about the future of passenger travel, including changing demographics (such as the U.S. population aging and becoming more multi-cultural), new technologies, labor, and supply chain shortages, and what the future may have in store. Thank you for joining us in the Hold Room!


[Intro Music End]


Carrie: Thanks for joining us back again in The Hold Room. We're really excited to have with us today Paul Martin. Paul is with Dimensional Innovations, and, Paul, we would really like for you to just start off this interview by introducing yourself.


Paul: Thanks for having me. We're really excited to take part in this broader discussion. We're [Dimensional Innovations (or DI)] a 30-year-old firm, very well established in many other markets. Aviation is actually something of a recent focus for us [DI]. My name is Paul Martin and I am the Director of Transit. The Transit Practice within Dimensional Innovations. Traditionally, that has meant more like bus shelters, kind of a land-based transit. DI as a company, our mission, as we say, it's to liberate people from mediocre experiences. Our main focus has been professional sports, but everything’s about an experience, right? So, if you're going to an arena or stadium, you know, maybe we've [DI] done the Hall of Fame or the fan experience. For corporations, it might be a welcome center, where we're telling your [the corporation’s] story. We [DI] do a lot of work in the cultural space. When we look at the aviation space, it's very much a natural fit. We [DI] have been making a concerted effort over the last year. It really helps that here in Kansas City we have a brand-new terminal, single terminal, that is just absolutely fantastic. So, we have quite a bit of work in that and that was kind of a springboard to get us [DI] interested in this [aviation] as a market.

Laura: Let's dive a little bit deeper into something. Can you discuss a challenge or solution relating to aviation related topics or passenger experience?


Paul: Sure, and for us [DI], it is all about that experience, and MCI (Kansas City International Airport) is the perfect example. Personally, I'm sure some of your listeners had to go through Kansas City or may be based here. You know, we went through Kansas City you've got this new airport that SOM designed, just brilliant, and DI was really fortunate to play a pretty significant role in this passenger experience, and it takes a lot of different forms. Right from the start, you enter into the single terminal. At the ticket counter, it's very standard, you've got the big LED wall behind you, that [the LED wall] was one of our [DI’s] scopes. And you know, in the background, what's happening in terms of managing the graphics, the content we have developed, our [DI’s] own content management system that was really developed working directly with the airport.  I was touring it [MCI Airport] with Justin Myers Deputy Director out there. At one point he just pulled it [graphic controls] up on his phone and said, “Hey, watch this!” – and he could change the background, the content, bec

Today in the Hold Room we get to hear all of the wonderful responses throughout Seasons 1 and 2 to “What is your favorite airport bathroom?” We learned very early on that the bathroom experience makes a big difference in the overall passenger experience of an airport. Some of the responses we heard repeatedly and some responses are unique and specific to one airport. We hope you enjoy this light-hearted and fun last episode of Season 2 of The Hold Room.



The Hold Room, Season 2 Episode 23 – Bathroom Compilation


Transcript


 


[Introduction]


TJ: Welcome to The Hold Room with ACC: a quick update on all things relating to airport development as well as the Airport Consultants Council.


Laura C.: This episode is part of the passenger experience series hosted by ACC's Terminal and Facilities Committee. In this series, we are collecting the experiences and perspectives about the future of passenger travel, including changing demographics such as the U.S. population aging and becoming more multicultural, new technologies, labor and supply chain shortages, and what the future may have in store. Thank you for joining us in the Hold Room.

 


[Interview]


Laura C.: Bathroom. Restroom. Water Closet. Washroom. Loo. Lavatory. Potty. John. Whatever you call it, these facilities serve one of our most basic human needs. Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that they are integral to the airport passenger experience. In this special compilation episode, we asked all our friends who joined us on this previous season of The Hold Room one simple question: What is your favorite airport bathroom? Everyone had something to say, whether they were shouting out a specific airport’s bathrooms, or they were describing features of what their favorite bathroom would be. Listen ahead and find out if your home airport received a shoutout.


Laura C.: Anita Cobb at Mead and Hunt.


Laura C.: Do you have a favorite bathroom? Like, where’s your favorite airport bathroom?


Anita Cobb: Oh my gosh, thank you for asking me this because now is my time to shine. My favorite bathroom in the continental United States is Dallas Fort Worth. They have the best bathrooms ever because they have tush lights. Tush lights are the smartest thing in the world! I want every business everywhere to have tush lights. It only makes sense to see that somebody's occupying a stall by a big red light so that you don't have to bend over at the waist and make your hair touch the ground just to be able to see who's in the bathroom. And I think their doors go all the way to the floor so you don't have to be weird about it too. And then I also love the fact that they have the maps, and then it shows you how many people are in the bathroom, how close is the nearest bathroom—best bathrooms ever! I love it. I cannot advocate for tush lights anymore than I can for their use at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport. I absolutely love that.


Laura C.: Anthony Barnes at ADK Consulting and Executive Search.


Max V.: Something that we've been asking all of our guests: what is your favorite airport bathroom and tell us why.


Anthony Barnes: That's a very funny question. I actually do not have a favorite airport bathroom. I actually do not remember a lot of airport bathrooms because I'm usually running in and running out before getting on a plane. But what I find pleasure in are clean facilities, making sure that it's stocked with supplies, the hand dryer works, making sure that there's adequate space in the stalls and getting throughout the restroom. I've been to some restrooms where it's been a little small. But, you know, just making sure that it's adequate space, and then easy navigation in and out—that I'm not running into someone as they're coming out. And you know, all of that. So, easy navigation.


Laura C.: Angela Berry-Roberson at the U.S. Department of Transportation.


Laura C.: What is your favorite bathroom?


Angela Berry-Roberson:

Hello from the American Association of Airport Executives conference in Denver, Colorado. Janelle Aslam conducted live interviews at the conference in June 2023 and we are excited to hear from Tommy Bibb, Aviation Consultant and prior AVP Operations and Maintenance at Nashville Airport Authority; Marco Toscano, Director of Customer Experience at Denver International Airport; and Joseph Kennedy, Business Development Manager at Smiths Detection.


The Hold Room, Season 2 Episode 20 – Tommy Bibb, Marco Toscano, and Joseph Kenney


Transcript

[Introduction]


TJ: Welcome to The Hold Room with ACC: a quick update on all things relating to airport development as well as the Airport Consultants Council.


Laura Canham: Hello from the American Association of Airport Executives conference in Denver, Colorado. Janelle Aslam conducted live interviews at the conference in June 2023 and we are excited to hear from Tommy Bibb, Aviation Consultant and prior AVP Operations and Maintenance at Nashville Airport Authority; Marco Toscano, Director of Customer Experience at Denver International Airport; and Joseph Kennedy, Business Development Manager at Smiths Detection.


 


[Interview]


Janelle Aslam: Hi Tom. So nice to have you here on The Hold Room podcast. You are an industry veteran. I'd love to know about your background 1st and then also your perspective on customer experience and what we can do to improve it.


Tommy (Tom) Bibb: Thanks, Janelle. It's a pleasure to be with you. Background, I spent just over 32 years with the airport in Nashville. And had a variety of departments and functions under my purview over that time. Operations and maintenance certainly were a big part of that 22 of those 32 years. But passenger experience is critical. You know, we were an airport in active growth mode and you're an airport first, a construction site 2nd and maintaining that positive experience is critical. We had a lot of opportunities to work on that both in the building, in front of the building, and the behind the building and by that I mean terminal, landside, and airside. So we tried to work on that every day actually.


Janelle: That’s great. Can you tell me about one of the examples you think is really like best in class in terms of something you implemented to improve passenger experience?


Tom: Yeah, I'll take a what's probably an easy one. And that's restroom modernization of restrooms, making them more comfortable and more bright. Easy in and out, not congested. Trying to get in and out of the facilities, just bringing up refresh with new fixtures, more modern three in one sinks with soap, water drying capabilities. But restrooms are a big factor in the passenger experience. Restrooms and parking will get you in trouble quickly. We put a lot of emphasis on restrooms, parking accessibility, walking distance and things like that, but those are a couple of easy examples on the things that we focused on to try to not only maintain but greatly improve the passenger experience.


Janelle: Great. So how did you actually listen to your customers? How did you gather feedback from them to make sure that you were moving the needle and improving that experience for them?


Tom: Like most airports, you know, do surveys and things like that. But we paid really close attention to our website and comments that came in and we kind of had a policy: three business days to get a response unless it was something really significant. And then you still get a response and. Follow up with a more detailed answer if that's what was called for. But got a lot of feedback that way. Being in the capital and a lot of state legislature there, we got a lot of feedback from the community and just through informal channels we always took that stuff very seriously and took it to heart and tried to take it and use it and, and make things better.


Janelle: Excellent. Can you talk to me a little bit about diversity, equity, and inclusion

What does a Chair/Vice Chair for the 2024 Symposium do? Come and find out from Carrie Shaeffer, Chris Spaulding, and Asia Johnson. In addition to the logistics behind how a conference is organized, learn more about the two plenary sessions of the 2024 Symposium including Artificial Intelligence and Vertical Takeoff and Landing at airports and how they relate to two upcoming Olympics!
The Hold Room, Season 2 Episode 19 – Carrie Shaeffer, Chris Spaulding, and Asia Johnson


Transcript

[Introduction]


TJ: Welcome to The Hold Room with ACC: a quick update on all things relating to airport development as well as the Airport Consultants Council.


Laura Canham: This episode is part of the passenger experience headers hosted by ACC's Terminal and Facilities Committee in this series. We are collecting the experiences and perspectives about the future of passenger travel, including changing demographics such as the U.S. population, aging and becoming more multicultural, new technologies, labor, and supply chain. Shortages and what the future may have in store. Thank you for joining us in the Hold Room.

 


[Interview]


Carrie Wojcik: Well, thank you everyone for joining us again in the Hold Room. I'm Carrie,


Mike Ambrosio: Hi, I'm Mike.


Carrie W: And we are joined by different individuals from ACC who will be involved with hosting the plenary sessions. So, I have Carrie Shaeffer from Swinnerton, Chris Spaulding from Jacobson Daniels as well as Asia Johnson from Jacobsen Daniel. So, thank you so much for joining us today. If each of you could just quickly say your name, your role, and introduce yourself so our listeners know who you are.


Carrie Shaeffer: Yeah, hi. Thanks for having us. I'm Carrie Shaeffer with Swinnerton and I am chairing the planning committee for the upcoming Symposium. Super excited to be with you all today.


Chris Spaulding: My name is Chris Spaulding as Carrie mentioned. Thank you for having me as well. I serve as the vice chair for the Symposium Planning Committee and work as a senior consultant for Jacobsen Daniels based in Chicago. Go Cubs.


Asia Johnson: I'm Asia, I'm with Jacobsen Daniels and I am supporting Chris in his role as Vice chair, and so I'm the vice chair YP.


Carrie W: Awesome. Thanks everyone.


Mike: If you don't mind. Could you kind of tell us a little bit more about what your sessions are about and what you're excited about them?


Carrie S: Yeah, I'd be glad to start with that. Thanks, Mike. This is Carrie Shaeffer again. So, as the kind of the chair and vice chair, one of the biggest roles and exciting roles of helping the planning committee bring the Symposium together is that we had a bringing together the plenary sessions for day one and day two. So, the one that I am pulling together right now, it’s pretty cool. It was inspired by one of the submissions of the 230 submissions we got for topics for the upcoming Symposium and we are looking at some applications of the for the Paris Olympics and then looking forward visioning for the LAX Olympics at 2028. We're to hear from both of those planning groups on some emerging technologies that they are using and for managing the incredibly complex logistics of all of those people: Athletes, judges here and people coming to watch and VIP's and just multiple airports in the area and then multiple venues. So, I'm really excited to hear from both of those and compare and contrast what the, what they're thinking about, how they going to solve those big puzzles.


Mike: Yeah, very interesting. You know, it's something that you don't necessarily think about and think of the Olympics and it's just cool to see how our industry is starting to tackle those challenges.


Carrie S: Absolutely. It was inspired by the group that is, they're going to do certain pilot program of using VTOL in the Paris area to solve some of their logistics issues, so I'm looking forward to it.


Chris: Yeah, being part of the

What does a Program Manager for the 2024 Symposium do? Come and find out from James Gerrald and Bailey Bulls, as they help organize one of aviation’s biggest conferences. Also tune in to find out what is new this year and recommendations and strategies of what a first-time Symposium attendee can do to maximize the experience.
The Hold Room, Season 2 Episode 18 – James Gerrald and Bailey Bills


Transcript

[Introduction]


TJ: Welcome to The Hold Room with ACC: a quick update on all things relating to airport development as well as the Airport Consultants Council.


Laura Canham: This episode is part of the passenger experience headers hosted by ACC's Terminal and Facilities Committee in this series. We are collecting the experiences and perspectives about the future of passenger travel, including changing demographics such as the U.S. population, aging and becoming more multicultural, new technologies, labor, and supply chain. Shortages and what the future may have in store. Thank you for joining us in the Hold Room.

 


[Interview]


Laura: Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the Hold Room. I'm Laura. Today, we have Bailey and James here, who are the Program Manager and the young professional Program Manager. So, James and Bailey, why don't you go ahead and introduce yourselves?

 


Bailey Bulls: I'm Bailey Bulls, the project manager for Swinerton Builders, based out of our Dallas office, and I am, as you say, Laura, the YP Program Manager for the 2024 Symposium. I'm really excited to be here. So, thanks for having us.


 


James Gerrald: James Gerrald, I'm with Jacobs Solutions out of our Philadelphia office at PHL and working at PHL Airport as a program advisor. This is actually my third year for the Symposium, representing the Symposium, and so very excited to come back. It's always a, always a treat. And yeah, and excited to work with Bailey and you all as well.

 


Laura: Great. So, for everyone who doesn't know what a program manager does at a conference, can you tell us a little bit more about what your role represents and what you're doing to get the conference in great shape?

 


James: Sure. A program manager essentially is the ones that are the liaisons between the management team or the executive team/committee for the symposium and the representatives for each track session. So that's the moderators, that's the track hosts, the speakers. So, we're kind of the liaison. Between the two. And so, our responsibilities include ensuring that all the session information is populated, ensuring that the speakers are populated, making sure we have all the headshots, bios, everything that's needed for our track host speakers, moderators, and then passing that information on to ACC/AAAE so they can fulfill their documentation requirements that they need for the conference.


We're kind of that go between. You can think of us as like a jack of all trades, everything under the sun. So, if it's anything from, Hey, can you just tap the speaker's shoulders to a shoulder to get some information on this? Or can we get a little bit of information on that? Or can we change this?


We're kind of where that link between those individuals to get that information. And make changes if necessary and essentially make the executive committee look good.

 


Bailey: You summed it up perfectly, James. I just view it as more of administrative oversight. So really all the hard work the track hosts are putting in. making sure that we have a really diverse selection of moderators and panelists to just fine tuning and executing the workshops and the just the development that goes into that.


 


James: Absolutely.

 


Laura: Very nice. I know that's much needed a big conference like the Symposium. What are you most excited about for the conference?

 


Bailey: So this will be my first Symposium. So I think first and foremost, I'm just really excited to actually get to meet