MOCKUP USE ONLY · 01b · terminal gate lounge · Adobe Stock 649631140 · Katy's hero choice (R3F1). O14: confirm whether it is generative-AI content. No legible livery, airport name or signage.

Airport leadership is specialized. Our roots are in airport work.

ADK's aviation team brings airport leadership and airline experience, and our searches reach from the C-suite to specialized airport functions.

Start a conversation

Explore executive search
Learn about airport compensation studies
Learn about organizational evaluation

R3 (R2F1): photo height and swoosh box now match the governing BHM file exactly at every width: photo clamp(380px, 78vh, 850px); swoosh at full image height (calc(100% + 4px)); no phone widening. KF2's 64%/72% override is removed. R4 (R3F1): hero photo is now 01b (terminal gate lounge), framed at 62% 46% so the seating and aircraft sit above the band. (R3F2): the service links sit higher, centered against the text block. (R2F2): H1, subhead and button right-aligned (BHM .panel .in); the service links move to the left, opposite. On phones: text first, then links. The swoosh still draws in once on load (DD-3).

A record in airport leadership.

600+C-suite executives placed in airports since 2003Including CEOs, airport directors, COOs, CFOs, chief commercial officers and general counsel.
200+airport clients in the U.S., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Turks & Caicos
300+years of combined direct leadership experience in the industry among ADK's aviation-experienced professionals

Figures reflect ADK's airport practice as a whole.

R8 (R7F2): under 600+, a line of the most senior titles ADK has filled shows what "C-suite" means in airports. The line is 06a R7 §5.3 Option 1 (recommended), awaiting Copy Approval. It is set in Light tint (#C8DEF4, 10.4:1 on Darker Blue) at small size, so the figure stays dominant, and the D5 qualifier stays directly under the figures. Fallback (notes-bar toggle): no title line, panel dropped only. PROOF otherwise unchanged (KF3). Figures count up once when scrolled into view (DD-3); the final values are in the HTML, so they read correctly without JavaScript or with reduced motion.

Airport clients

A selection of the airport clients we've worked with.

Hunt Scanlon Media badge: America's Best Recruiters 2025

ADK Consulting & Executive Search is a retained executive search and consulting firm serving public agencies and private companies, named to Hunt Scanlon's 2025 Select Guide to America's Top 250 Executive Search Firms.

R3 (R2F4, Katy's choice): slow-drifting logo band in 2 rows (BHM .ticker precedent), logos about 1.5× R2 (up to 126 px tall; wide marks up to 300–330 px), full color and unaltered. Seamless loop, about 25 px/s. Pauses on hover and keyboard focus, and has a visible pause/play button (WCAG 2.2.2: continuous motion needs a user control). Reduced motion: a static wrapped set of all 29. Screen readers get one list of 29 names; the moving copies are hidden from them. R4 (R3F3): the badge and firm line sit on a full-width Stone band. The mockup logo files are normalized at 150 px tall, so they display at 1× only; production needs 2× files and the O6 replacements (low-res marks are flagged, not upscaled).

MOCKUP USE ONLY · 02 · S5 · Adobe Stock 644831494, cropped wide · license check O14. Departure boards soft, no legible text.

Airport leadership asks a great deal of one role.

Leading an airport means working with federal, state, and local agencies, airlines, tenants, public safety, the community, and the traveling public, in a highly regulated, operationally complex environment. The role calls for industry knowledge, operational and regulatory understanding, financial judgment, and public-sector awareness.

That is the world ADK's aviation team knows, and where our work began.

R3 (R2F5): approved copy, now white on Darker Blue (#001489; white = 14.4:1, corrected in R5). The concourse photo runs straight into the blue with no gap, so the photo reads as the lead-in to this statement. The page's two Darker Blue moments (proof, then this) are separated by the logo band and the photo, and share one treatment family: same surface, same Light Blue accent rule.

People who know airports from the inside.Meet a few members of our aviation team.

Aviation and airport organizations have been a significant area of our work since 2003. Our aviation team's experience includes airport leadership, airline experience, aviation HR, and aviation operations, and these are some of the people who bring it.

MOCKUP LOW-RES 200×250 · scaled up to the uniform frame (R2F9) · O7
Cyrus T. Callum, A.A.E., ACE
Senior Consultant
Former Director of Aviation, Volusia County (Daytona Beach International Airport)
Chuck McFall, Ph.D., A.A.E., PMP
Senior Project Manager
Former EVP and Chief Information Officer, Raleigh-Durham International Airport
MOCKUP LOW-RES 200×250 · scaled up to the uniform frame (R2F9) · O7
Dan Sprinkle, A.A.E.
Senior Consultant
Former Vice President of Operations, Denver International Airport
Kim Kenville, Ph.D., C.M.
Senior Project Manager
Former Vice Chair, ACRP Oversight Committee (appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation)
MOCKUP LOW-RES 185×234 · scaled up to the uniform frame (R2F9) · O7
Theresia Schatz, A.A.E.
Senior Project Manager
Former Assistant Manager, Properties & Commercial Development, LaGuardia Airport (Port Authority of NY & NJ)
Rod Dinger, A.A.E.
Senior Project Manager
Managed the City of Redding's airports, 1991–2015
MOCKUP LOW-RES 200×250 · scaled up to the uniform frame (R2F9) · O7
Kenneth Gwyn, A.A.E.
Senior Project Manager
Former Director of Aviation, City of Dallas
MOCKUP LOW-RES 200×250 · scaled up to the uniform frame (R2F9) · O7
Barry Bratton, A.A.E.
Senior Project Manager
20+ years in airport leadership; U.S. Navy Naval Flight Officer

Leading ADK

Doug Kuelpman

Founder · President / Chief Executive Officer

Has seen the airport industry from every side: airport planning and design at the FAA, airport management, and 17 years as a vice president at UPS Airlines.

Annell Kuelpman

Partner · Executive Vice President / Chief Operating Officer

About 30 years in recruitment and executive training; four years on the AAAE Northwest Chapter Board of Directors.

MOCKUP LOW-RES 200×250 · scaled up to the uniform frame (R2F9) · O7

Blake Astran, J.D.

Vice President, Business Operations

10+ years in executive recruiting, primarily with public sector clients including aviation, ports and transportation; licensed attorney in Maryland.

R3 (R2F6): the 'Airport knowledge, from the start' section and its S6 panel are removed; R5 (R4F6): heading is PITCH's 06a R5 Option 1 (recommended), 'People who know airports from the inside.', with the selection subline set smaller inside the same heading element. The lead-in is unchanged. Awaiting Copy Approval. (R2F8): card hierarchy is name → ADK title (small caps, ADK Medium Blue) → former role, which stays the main credential line. Titles written in full on every card, as confirmed by PITCH (06a R3 §4.2) against the ADK team page. R10 (R9F1): Leading ADK is now three people (Doug, Annell, Blake) as stacked cards in three equal columns (220 px photos). Blake's photo is the only file on hand, 200×250 low-res (O7), scaled to the same frame. His line is 06a R9 §3.2 Option 1 (recommended), and his eyebrow is his title only. Leadership row: 06a R3 Option 1, 'Leading ADK', with the Founder and Partner descriptors (not 'Founders', K-8). (R2F9): every team card uses one 4:5 frame (up to 220 px); low-res files are scaled up to fill it for the mockup only and keep the LOW-RES tag. Doug and Annell are larger (240 px). Annell's photo is the 2026 website file (R2F11); Callum's is the ADK website file (low-res).

MOCKUP USE ONLY · 05 · S2 · hangar opening onto a jet at sunset · Adobe Stock 1324332493 · license check O14. Recommended (R2F16).MOCKUP USE ONLY · ALTERNATE · 07 · S26 · handshake circle · soft video still in CMYK; needs a sharp original (O14).

Executive search across the whole airport organization.

An airport's leadership reaches well beyond the executive office.

We conduct searches for C-level and mid-level airport positions across functional areas, including:

Air service development
Business development
Communications
Engineering
Finance
HR
IT
Legal
Marketing
Operations
Public affairs
Strategy

We continue to conduct executive and leadership searches for airport organizations throughout the United States.

R9 (R8F2): the accent statement's side rule is replaced by the page's standard accent rule under the text (3 px Darker Blue, same width and spacing as the heading rules). R8 (A1 / R7F2): the functional areas appear once, as 12 chips, per 06a R7 §5.4 (C-1): the trimmed sentence ending '…including:' is the lead-in, and the rest of the approved sentence follows the chips as its own sentence. There's no closing line (PITCH confirmed). The accent statement is unchanged, and the Option A ⇄ B toggle is retired. This restructures approved 06 wording, so it takes effect at Copy Approval.

Three ways to work with us

Every search is customized to the client. Choose the approach that fits how your organization hires.

Full Servicewe manage the search from initiation through final selection.
HR Assistwe provide core search expertise, and your HR team conducts final interviews and selection.
Confidentiala targeted search for passive candidates when discretion is required.

R3 (R2F13 + R2F16): full-bleed chapter opener on S2; alternate S26 on the notes-bar toggle. (R2F14): the engagement options are three numbered cards. R8 (R7F2): the standalone positions panel is removed. Katy: the chart had no impact. The senior titles now support the 600+ figure in the proof band (see there).

From Alaska to the Caribbean.

Where we've worked, and where we're working now.

46states, plus DC, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Turks & Caicos
185+communities where we've worked
30+airport searches underwayDoug reviews before publication (O8)

Completed
Underway

Figures as of September 2026. Map shows completed and current work as of September 2026.

R11 (R10F1): the orange underway rings are thinner on tablet and desktop, at 3.25 px (they were 4.5), with the legend swatch to match. Phones (≤ 720 px) keep 4.5, because the map scales down to about 40% and 3.25 would draw a 1.3 px hairline. They are still #FF8F1F at 6.3:1 on Darker Blue, and distinct from the solid white completed pins. R5 (R4F3): the section is Darker Blue (#001489), matching the bands above. Headings and figures are white (14.4:1), labels Light tint #C8DEF4 (10.4:1), accent rules and inset frames Lighter Blue #75AADB. Land dots are #C8DEF4 at 38%. Completed = solid white dot (14.4:1); underway = Lighter Blue ring (#75AADB, 5.8:1; non-text AA needs 3:1). The pins differ in color and shape. The hover label is white with ink text. R3 (R2F19): the map comes first. It spans the full content width (about 1,110 px at 1440) and the insets scale with it. The heading, figures and legend move to a compact band above. KF10's fit-to-one-screen is relaxed as directed: at 1440×900 the heading and figures sit above the fold and the map fills the screen when scrolled to. (R2F18): 185+ and 30+ are Katy-approved (verified against Clockwork, 2026-09-24), so the 'New figure' tags are removed. 30+ still needs Doug's review before publication (O8). Hover, tap and keyboard labels unchanged.

MOCKUP USE ONLY · S15 · leaders around a board table · Adobe Stock 450926812 (ADK Branding / Stock Business) · license check O14. Recommended (R4F4).MOCKUP USE ONLY · ALTERNATE 1 · S21 · two-person meeting · ADK Branding / Stock Business, "Man & Woman in business meeting.jpg" · source and license unknown (O14).MOCKUP USE ONLY · ALTERNATE 2 · S18 · meeting, man facing camera · Adobe Stock 562639300 · license check O14.

Beyond the search

Airport compensation studies.

Hiring strong leaders is one part of building an airport team. Attracting and keeping talent at every level depends on positions that are clearly defined and paid in line with the market.

Our aviation practice provides airport compensation studies. Each study evaluates job descriptions and compensation information to align positions with the market and support your ability to attract and retain talent, informed by the same understanding of airport organizations behind our search work.

Organizational evaluation and development.

Growth, modernization, and organizational change can reshape an airport's leadership needs. Our aviation practice provides organizational evaluation: we work with you to evaluate your organization and support its current, intermediate, and long-term objectives.

For airport leaders and HR teams, it is an informed outside view of how the organization is set up for what comes next.

Also available: performance management, as part of the consulting our aviation practice provides.

R3 (R2F20): 'Beyond the search' becomes the matching chapter opener (same treatment as Executive Search), and the two services sit below as text-only columns. The label is from 06a R3 §7 (awaiting Copy Approval). PITCH's optional intro line is dropped: the services sit directly below the opener, and this cuts text weight (KF4). S8 is recommended: its dark wood table and people at the edges hold a white heading at the lower left; S24 (alternate, in the notes-bar toggle) has a bright white table and window, which needs a heavier veil.

MOCKUP USE ONLY · 01 · S3 · jet at the gate, dusk · Adobe Stock 178863677 · license check O14. Moved from the hero to replace S1 (R3F1).

Airport leaders on working with ADK

**Bryant L. Francis, C.M.**Director of Airports, Cleveland Airport System

**Rebecca Hupp, A.A.E.**Vice President of Aviation, Austin Commercial; former Airport Director, Boise Airport

**Greg Phillips, A.A.E.**Chief Operating Officer, Philadelphia International Airport; former Director of Aviation, Colorado Springs Airport

R3 (R2F21, for evaluation): client leaders are shown in 136 px circles (112 px on phones), following brochure p. 9. The circles set clients apart from ADK staff, whose photos stay rectangular (4:5). R4 (R3F8): all three crops now match Phillips: head about 52–55% of the circle's height, eye line at about 41%. Hupp is moved so her face sits higher. Francis is scaled down to about 90% of his supplied circle-cut photo, and the extra margin is filled with a soft blur of his own background. Production should ask for his uncropped original. There's a thin Light Blue ring with a white gap. Photos: Francis (City of Cleveland) and Phillips (PHL) were added 2026-09-25; permission for all three is received (O13 closed, per the manifest).

Let's talk about what's next.

A conversation with our team is a good place to start if you have:

a search underway or coming up
a leadership transition ahead
questions about compensation or how your organization is structured

Your contacts at ADK

Brian Vaughn

Director, Market Development

Email:: brian@adkexecutivesearch.com
Phone:: 844-577-4400 ext. 819

Start a conversation

Doug Kuelpman

President / Chief Executive Officer

Email:: doug@adkexecutivesearch.com
Phone:: 844-577-4400 ext. 801

R9 (R8F4): simpler and more direct, on the same Darker Blue. The top and bottom frame rules are removed (supersedes R7F6/R5F2), and so are the circular Brian thumbnail, the 'what happens next' line and the side divider. Brian now appears ONCE: a large card (photo 160 px wide) with his email and phone, then directly beneath it the one dominant button (white, full card width, 64 px tall), so the button reads as 'email Brian'. Doug follows at the same photo size with his details. Photos are 160 px on desktop and 128 px on phones, larger than R6/R7's 136/96 px. Contact type is 1.0625 rem, larger than R8. The heading accent rule stays, because it's the page-wide heading treatment, not panel decoration. The mailto: subject and body are unchanged (06a R7 §8.4). R10 (R9F4): the Copy email button is removed; each card reads 'Email: address' / 'Phone: number' (live mailto:/tel: links). (R9F5): more space between the lead-in and the three reasons.