Speaker Biograghy: Alan has over two decades of experience in commercial/concession management, facility planning, financial analysis and government procurement. He has worked with, and for, county and state agencies, as well as for a number of consulting firms. Alan has significant experience in revenue enhancement, interfacing between government agencies and business operators, project management, business development, airport facility planning, forecasting and consumer surveying. He has served as project manager for numerous efforts throughout the United States and abroad, from Iceland to Australia. Alan has been a frequent speaker at conferences organised by industry trade organisations, and has served on a number of trade organisation committees including conference planning, commercial management and business diversity. Alan also publishes a regular blog for Wharton Magazine. Personal fact: Alan lives in Maine with his wife and three cats, and serves on the Board of Directors of a local Humane Society.


Day 3 - 22 March
Session: Commercial Development, Retail & Concessions

09:05 - 10:05 - Panel Discussion: Sense of place: value or voodoo?
Synopsis: This wide-ranging panel discussion will include a variety of viewpoints that will help attendees understand the whys and what works when it comes to creating sense of place in concession operations. Participants will include an airport concession manager, a small food service operator, a designer, a retail operator and an airport-focused style and fashion blogger. Does sense of place matter and, if so, how do/should different businesses express it? What do the public see and what do they care about? This panel discussion will answer these questions and more.

Audience will learn:

• Value of sense of place in concessions
• How successful operators do or don't express it
• What the public really sees/gets from airport concessions' expressions of sense of place