The AirMAX program is designed to foster collaboration among airports sharing similar operational and management characteristics. Each participating airport will carefully choose five to eight individuals displaying both high potential and exceptional performance. Throughout the program year, these participants will spend a week of programming at each of the participating agencies. These visits offer a comprehensive range of activities, including leadership development and training, operational tours, best practice highlights, business project presentations, peer-to-peer networking opportunities, senior leadership forums/round tables, and keynote speeches from industry leaders.
Throughout the program year, each participant works on a specific business project. Participants commit to developing an implementable proposal to solve high-priority, airport-defined business problems or untapped opportunities using information obtained during the airport visits, on their own between visits, and by seeking out expertise within the cohort. The goal is to bring innovative solutions, best practices, and new knowledge to their home agency by the end of the program year.
The program is co-produced by participating cohorts and facilitated by Eno.
Program Description
AirMAX is designed for and by airports with the intent to build a leadership pipeline and encourage retention of the high-performing talent within their workforce.
This exciting program is defined by four core pillars:
Through these pillars, participants will get a broad understanding of a particular airport and its strengths, challenges, innovations, and strategies; and ultimately, bring that wealth of information back to their home airport.
The MAX program offers member-airports and selected participants unique opportunities to:
- Form a collaborative team with multiple partner agencies, representing leaders across the nation.
- Visit and get first-hand insights of how business is done at other airports in a program year, thereby informing best practices and valuable lessons learned.
- Deepen formal and informal networking with peers at partner airports.
- Expand transportation industry knowledge and develop critical thinking skills on relevant trends, change, and impact.
- Get exposure to and build currency with executive and senior leadership.
- Conduct self-driven Business Project research at partner airports.
- Receive Business Case and Business Project training and hone leadership and business skills competencies.
Goals and Program Benefits
For the airports, the program benefits are:
- Identify, develop and retain future leaders; Engage and invest in the best and brightest talent
- Increase the agency’s ability to identify and respond to transit trends
- Improve staff performance and accountability
- Share best practices and promote innovation
- Foster a strong and vibrant intra-agency community
- Solve high-priority, agency-defined business problems, click here for examples from Eno/MAX
For the participants, the program benefits are:
- Improve technical knowledge and performance
- Forge lasting connections within a dynamic peer network and foster collaboration
- Gain profound insights into the intricacies of home airport’s role in the aviation industry at large
- Hone leadership techniques and elevate career skills to new heights
- Provide tools to advance career
History
In 2012, several innovative public transit agencies—led by Phil Washington, then the chief executive of the Denver Regional Transportation District—began to discuss how they could learn and collaborate with each other. A decade later the cohort of agencies has grown to eight and along with Eno, this collaborative best-practice sharing program (Eno/MAX) now includes cutting-edge leadership development, networking, and alumni programming components.
Since its inception, the existing program has brought together 500 public transit industry professionals and saved participating agencies millions of dollars. It has provided critically needed training for high-potential leaders within the organization and helped build a network of professionals. This model is now being applied to the aviation industry with the launch of AirMAX, in keeping with Eno’s founding commitment to serve, through its mission and legacy, all modes of transportation.
About Eno
As a national, independent think tank, Eno serves as a powerful convener to bring leaders together. We are a nonpartisan, 501(c) nonprofit and the only national organization focusing on all modes of transportation at all levels of government. The Eno Center for Transportation (“Eno”) is the national leader regarded as the go-to source for quality research, relevant policy analysis, and exclusive professional development programs dedicated to the transportation industry. Since 1999, Eno’s professional development programs have garnered renown for their unparalleled quality and transformative impact. These legacy programs have garnered the highest esteem from the industry, agency CEOs, senior staff, and the participants. The program is led by a team of learning professionals with deep policy expertise, experience with transportation operations and management, and over 60 years of combined experience in adult pedagogy and the crafting of potent leadership curricula.
Eno’s Professional Development Programs (PDP) team is responsible for designing, developing and delivering leadership training programs that are relevant and specific to transportation workforce needs. In addition to the Eno/MAX program, PDP provides ready-to-apply training for a wide range of industry learners, from future leaders, who have just completed graduate degrees; to managers responsible for the day-to-day operations and team leadership; and to senior leaders and executives who are currently running transit agencies. In total, several hundred learners, lecturers, learning partners, and key stakeholders participate in the professional development programs each year. The overarching mission of Eno’s PDP is to improve the people-readiness of a skilled workforce, leadership development, and innovation for the transportation industry.
How does my airport get involved with AirMAX?
AirMAX Interest Form
Interested in elevating your airport's leadership and retaining top talent? Join the AirMAX program! Tailored for airports, AirMAX focuses on collaborative best practices, industry insights, world-class leadership development, and powerful networking. Be part of this transformative journey and ensure your airport's future shines even brighter. Sign up now for more information!
If you or your airport would like to be considered for future AirMAX programs, or if you have any questions about joining the AirMAX Program, please contact the Professional Development team at justlead@enotrans.org.
