Flying High
by Michelle Barber Lyhnakis (MPC ’06)
Aaron Mangone (’05) was five years old when he got lost in a Florida airport. “I wandered off because
I wanted to see the planes take off,” he says. “On the flight, the captain gave me
his wings. I still have them.” That was when Aaron knew he wanted to work in the airline
industry.
After graduating from Skyline High School, Aaron had to make a tough decision: to
attend a college where he could play football or attend Westminster and pursue his
passion for aviation. “I decided not to play football and chose Westminster,” he says.
Aaron enrolled in August 2001 with the intent of becoming a pilot. When the September
11 terror attacks happened, flying halted and the industry changed. “I loved flying,
but I needed to look into the business side of the industry,” Aaron says. The dean
of the school of business sat down with Aaron to help him incorporate business courses
into the aviation curriculum.
The summer after his junior year, Aaron interned at Million Air in charter sales,
which led to a job after graduation. He later moved to Washington to attend Gonzaga
University for his MBA.
Now, as the regional director of airline financial analysis for Boeing Airlines, Aaron
demonstrates the value of Boeing products and works to help airlines get financing
for Boeing planes. “I’m working with CamAir in Cameroon, Africa,” Aaron says. “I spent
10 days in Cameroon meeting with airline executives and government officials to learn
about the area and the company. We’ll then develop a plan to help the airline be profitable.
This includes everything from flight routes to maintenance schedules. Never in my
wildest dreams did I think I would be doing this.”
About the Westminster Review
The Westminster Review is Westminster University’s bi-annual alumni magazine that is distributed to alumni and community members. Each issue aims to keep alumni updated on campus current events and highlights the accomplishments of current students, professors, and Westminster alum.
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