There's World of Difference Between
Experience And Expertise

Experience covers the past. At Boyd Group International, we know that it's expertise that determines effectiveness in aviation consulting. And that's our constant focus: research and forecasting that gives our clients the competitive edge the minute they call us.

We've managed airline operations across the nation - and internationally, too. We've directed route and market planning for all types of carriers. We've been involved in fleet planning and new aircraft introductions. We've managed virtually all areas of the airline business - customer service, flight operations, sales, scheduling, fleet planning, in-flight service, maintenance, pricing and revenue accounting. We've established airport stations and marketing functions at cities from Montreal, to Albany, to London, to Seoul, Korea. We've been on both sides of the labor bargaining table. We know aviation, and we know that it is not a static industry.

In short, we have earned advanced "degrees" from the real-world of today's evolving aviation industry. That's expertise we hone every day. This has resulted in exceptional results in assisting our clients solving tough problems and positioning themselves for the future.

Profiles Of Key Team Members

Jeff Potter is President & Chief Executive Officer.

Jeff joined Boyd Group International in 2012 with over 30 years in the travel and transportation industry. Starting with Frontier Airlines in 1981, he held positions with Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, and McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft, before progressing to CEO of Vanguard Airlines.  He later became CEO of Denver-based Frontier Airlines, which under his direction emerged as one of America’s most admired and successful low-cost carriers.

Subsequent to Frontier, he was CEO of Exclusive Resorts, LLC, a global luxury destination club, and most recently, Chief Operating Officer of Intrawest, a major operator of resorts and leisure destinations in North America.

Active in community organizations, Jeff was named Entrepreneur of The Year in 2003 by Eastern Washington University, CEO of the Year by Colorado BIZ Magazine, Business Person of The Year by the Public Relations Society of America, and received the Governor’s Tourism Award in 2007 for his efforts on behalf of tourism in the State of Colorado.

As President and CEO, Jeff is in charge of company activities, research and consulting projects, as well as programs to further expand the firm's already strong presence in the global aviation industry.

Marian Henley Boyd is Chief Operating Officer of the firm. The Boyd Group International Aviation Industry Workshop Program is directed by Marian, including the widely-attended International Aviation Forecast Summit. Held annually, this has emerged as the number one event in regard to hard-hitting, no-nonsense trend, traffic, and passenger forecasts, and is attended by leaders from all areas of the industry.

Marian also directs the wide range of airline-related training programs developed by the company. These programs are tailored to the specific needs of the airline industry, and to those of the specific client. Programs developed at Marian's direction have assisted a number of aviation clients in improving direct customer service as well as the efficiency of service delivery. Customer Service Solutions - a basic skills program for front-line airline employees has been successfully implemented at carriers of all sizes, from small commuters to international airlines.

Before co-founding what is today Boyd Group International, Marian was with Braniff International Airways, rising to the position of Regional Director in the Northwest. During her career at Braniff, Marian was involved in that carrier's international expansion, including the establishment of station operations in Europe and developing procedures and training programs for local staff.

She holds a degree in Business Administration from North Texas University.

Michael Boyd is Chairman. In this position, Mike is involved in direction of strategic planning including expanding the global footprint of the firm's consulting and forecasting activities.

Mike is well known as an expert in futurist aviation issues, and is often called upon by the national media to provide input regarding events and trends affecting airlines, airports, and aircraft manufacturers. He has directed hundreds of projects for clients ranging from small airports to global companies such as General Electric, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Aerostructures, and Embraer Aircraft.

Mike started his career with American Airlines in 1971. He joined Braniff International in 1977, attaining the position of Regional Director, and was responsible for opening the carrier's Far Eastern operations. In 1982 he moved to Bar Harbor Airlines as Vice President of Marketing and Planning.

In 1984, he co-founded what is today Boyd Group International. Seeking advice from respected leaders in the aviation consulting industry, it was recommended that the firm be based in New York or Washington, in order to have proximity to headquarters and key branch offices of airlines and to government offices. Underscoring the firm's strong sense of independence from "ambient" thinking, the firm was established in a small town high in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver. It was only the start of the company's dedication to seeking fresh and higher (in this case, literally) perspectives from the stale norms accepted in aviation. Even then, Mike and the staff recognized that electronic proximity was the future, and that integrity, research, and cutting-edge expertise would trump any benefits of an office on Connecticut Avenue.

Coming from an airline family, Mike grew up living at points across the country, and attended high school in Taiwan. Mike holds a degree in Social Science from Michigan State University, with a minor in Chinese language. 

William C. Oliver - VP, directs the project coordination and client liaison for Boyd Group International. He also directs the firm's extensive traffic, passenger, fleet, and forecast databases.

With a 30 year career in the airline industry, with focus upon airline operations, planning and customer service, Mr. Oliver is an expert in the area of airport/airline interface with regard to customer convenience and operations efficiency. Subsequent to service in the Marine Corps., Mr. Oliver had a distinguished career with Braniff International Airways, attaining positions as Director - System Operations, Director - Customer Service Administration, and Vice President - Personnel & Labor Relations.

Following his career at Braniff, Bill was Executive Vice President of a low-fare jet airline, and was responsible for the carrier's route planning, marketing, and daily operations. Mr. Oliver holds a degree in Business from the University of Texas.

Dan Cohn is part of the new team of financial expertise brought into Boyd Group International in 2011. As Director - Aviation Planning, he is responsible for strategic research and assistance to airline and airport clients, with focus on futurist planning.

Prior to coming to Boyd Group International, Dan was Project Leader - Flight Profitability at Delta Air Lines, modeling and providing tactical statistical support of the carrier's growing East Coast gateways. Prior to the Delta merger, he was Senior Financial Analyst at Northwest Airlines. Dan holds and MBA from the University of Denver, Daniels School of Business, and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Kris Vogt is our Senior Report Developer & Systems Manager He is responsible for the firm's extensive data and web-based information products, including the Aviation DataMiner system, the Airports:USA Forecast programs, and the Global Fleet Trend & Aircraft Forecast.

Over the past thirty years, Kris has been at the cutting edge of analytical software design and electronic information platform development. An expert in UNIX, LINUX, C++, JavaScript, PERL, and other systems, he has international experience in software, hardware, design, and maintenance of communications and computer systems interfaces.

At Boyd Group International, Kris is responsible for building and enhancing the firm's leadership in aviation analytics, including building custom reports for clients as well as developing new market intelligence systems.

Daniel Higdon is Senior Aviation Analyst at the firm. Mr. Higdon joined Boyd Group International from United Airlines where he was Strategic Revenue Management Analyst. His responsibilities included strategic research on global trends affecting passenger travel patterns. His work also included pricing analysis and he was co-chair of the Revenue Management Analyst Group at United.

Prior to United, Mr. Higdon was Sr. Revenue Management Analyst at Continental Airlines where his focus was to maximize revenue in assigned markets by forecasting demand and analyzing booking trends, as well as pricing and scheduling changes. He was also responsible for forecasting the impact of the 2008 recession.

Daniel holds a double major in Economics and in Business Administration from Auburn University.

Captain Michael Baiada works with Boyd Group International in the areas of operations restructuring, air traffic control issues, and management development. A 777 captain at a major US airline, Mike has been a leader in projects to improve the nation's air traffic control system, and in 1994 co-authored the first study that brought Free Flight to the attention of aviation. The study prompted congressional hearings which directed the FAA to accelerate development of the Free Flight concept. He is also expert in procedures to make flight sequencing and departure procedures more efficient, and has worked with a number of clients in this regard. Captain Baiada holds a degree in Engineering from Rutgers University.

Fred Johnson works with Boyd Group International in the areas of aircraft maintenance and technical issues. Fred is a veteran of over 30 years in the airline industry, with experience at a range of airlines, including Director - Maintenance at a major international passenger carrier and VP - Maintenance at a large air cargo airline. Fred's expertise is called upon by airlines and aircraft overhaul firms across the globe. He is one of the few people who are maintenance-qualified on airliners ranging from commuter aircraft through the supersonic Concorde.

Sonia Watts is our Supervisor—Administrative Services.  She joined Boyd Group international in 2007, and holds the responsibility of supervising office administration, conducting research, preparing statistical reports, and handling information requests.

Sonia is responsible for managing registration and assisting in promotion and coordination of the firm’s Annual International Aviation Forecast Summit.