Susan C. Schooley, Principal
Susan is President and a founding Principal of SI Partners, Inc., one of the top airport concession planning firms in the United States. Susan has over 35 years of experience in concession planning and has developed concession programs for airports of all sizes. She has worked on many concession programs of all sizes throughout the US. Some of these airports included Chicago-O’Hare, John F. Kennedy, Phoenix Sky Harbor, Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona, Los Angeles International, Detroit Metro, Nashville, San Diego, Oakland, Seattle-Tacoma, Asheville, Sarasota-Bradenton, Louis Armstrong New Orleans, Fort Wayne, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
During her career, Susan has worked for several large airport planning and consulting firms. Susan was a Director for Landrum & Brown, a Principal and Vice President of Unison Consulting, and Vice President of P&D Consultants, a division of AECOM. Prior to working in the aviation industry, Susan worked for a Chicago-area privately held holding company in their Mergers and Acquisitions Department as an analyst. She facilitated the expansion of the firm’s portfolio holdings in the banking, hotel/restaurant, oil and gas, farming, ranching, and manufacturing industries.
Susan is an industry leader in airport concession planning. She developed the UF analysis (Utilization Factor analysis), a quantitative approach to programming concession space in an airport. She is a strong proponent of the concession master planning process - a comprehensive process that includes a strong business and analytical approach to concession planning, while incorporating creative facility designs and merchandising plans. Susan has extensive experience in developing well-balanced concession programs specific to each airport, since there are no two airport concession programs that are alike. She has developed plans incorporating the best of national and local concepts, Request for Proposal documents, and lease agreements tailored to the specific needs of the airport. She has a strong analytical approach to concession planning to ensure that the airport optimizes revenues and the operator is successful. Susan approaches every assignment with fresh and creative ideas that have led to the development of world-class programs.
Susan received a BSC degree in Accounting and an MBA in Finance from DePaul University in Chicago. She also completed post-graduate courses in Real Estate Finance at Northwestern University in Chicago.
During her career, Susan has worked for several large airport planning and consulting firms. Susan was a Director for Landrum & Brown, a Principal and Vice President of Unison Consulting, and Vice President of P&D Consultants, a division of AECOM. Prior to working in the aviation industry, Susan worked for a Chicago-area privately held holding company in their Mergers and Acquisitions Department as an analyst. She facilitated the expansion of the firm’s portfolio holdings in the banking, hotel/restaurant, oil and gas, farming, ranching, and manufacturing industries.
Susan is an industry leader in airport concession planning. She developed the UF analysis (Utilization Factor analysis), a quantitative approach to programming concession space in an airport. She is a strong proponent of the concession master planning process - a comprehensive process that includes a strong business and analytical approach to concession planning, while incorporating creative facility designs and merchandising plans. Susan has extensive experience in developing well-balanced concession programs specific to each airport, since there are no two airport concession programs that are alike. She has developed plans incorporating the best of national and local concepts, Request for Proposal documents, and lease agreements tailored to the specific needs of the airport. She has a strong analytical approach to concession planning to ensure that the airport optimizes revenues and the operator is successful. Susan approaches every assignment with fresh and creative ideas that have led to the development of world-class programs.
Susan received a BSC degree in Accounting and an MBA in Finance from DePaul University in Chicago. She also completed post-graduate courses in Real Estate Finance at Northwestern University in Chicago.
O. B. Schooley, Principal
O.B. is SI Partners, Inc.’s Vice President and one of the founding principals at one of the top airport concession planning firms in the United States. He has exceptional qualifications in both private and public-sector business environments. In his more than 40-year career, he has managed many complex ventures in both sectors. O.B. began his career in the private sector as a bond analyst for US Industries.
O.B. served as the Executive Director of John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, from 1995 through 1998. In addition to his role as director, O. B. held a key management position during the successful master plan implementation at John Wayne Airport and the terminal redevelopment project.
As Co-Director of the MCAS El Toro Local Redevelopment Authority, O. B. managed the complex master planning and military base reuse effort for the County of Orange, assuming full responsibility for aviation planning, community outreach, government relations, and environmental analysis.
O. B. is one of the few airport professionals who truly understands the numerous operational issues that are involved in managing an existing airport while at the same time overseeing the comprehensive planning efforts involved in the implementation of an airport master plan. O. B. has in-depth knowledge of airport concessions, airfield, terminal, ground transportation, automobile parking, cargo, and administrative issues.
Over the years, O. B. has developed extensive experience in developing successful concession plans for large, medium, and small hub airports. He is well-versed in leasing and contracting issues and has experience in evaluating management approaches. In addition, he can assess concessions infrastructure requirements and construction phasing plans. O. B. brings to the airport client the “owner’s perspective.”
O. B. has prepared a hold room analysis for several airport clients to assess the feasibility of including concession units directly in hold room areas without compromising airline customer service and the need to provide adequate passenger seating. The analysis provides substantiated data for airport operations and airlines when considering the inclusion of concession units in hold room areas. O. B. has prepared Time of Day analyses by utilizing airlines’ schedules and aircraft types to assess the number of passengers in the terminal at various times of the day. The information is used to determine the types of concepts and menu offerings that will best serve the airport’s passengers during different day parts.
O.B. received a BA degree in Business Administration and Accounting from California State University, Fullerton, CA, and an Executive Degree in Management from the University of California, Irvine, CA.
O.B. served as the Executive Director of John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, from 1995 through 1998. In addition to his role as director, O. B. held a key management position during the successful master plan implementation at John Wayne Airport and the terminal redevelopment project.
As Co-Director of the MCAS El Toro Local Redevelopment Authority, O. B. managed the complex master planning and military base reuse effort for the County of Orange, assuming full responsibility for aviation planning, community outreach, government relations, and environmental analysis.
O. B. is one of the few airport professionals who truly understands the numerous operational issues that are involved in managing an existing airport while at the same time overseeing the comprehensive planning efforts involved in the implementation of an airport master plan. O. B. has in-depth knowledge of airport concessions, airfield, terminal, ground transportation, automobile parking, cargo, and administrative issues.
Over the years, O. B. has developed extensive experience in developing successful concession plans for large, medium, and small hub airports. He is well-versed in leasing and contracting issues and has experience in evaluating management approaches. In addition, he can assess concessions infrastructure requirements and construction phasing plans. O. B. brings to the airport client the “owner’s perspective.”
O. B. has prepared a hold room analysis for several airport clients to assess the feasibility of including concession units directly in hold room areas without compromising airline customer service and the need to provide adequate passenger seating. The analysis provides substantiated data for airport operations and airlines when considering the inclusion of concession units in hold room areas. O. B. has prepared Time of Day analyses by utilizing airlines’ schedules and aircraft types to assess the number of passengers in the terminal at various times of the day. The information is used to determine the types of concepts and menu offerings that will best serve the airport’s passengers during different day parts.
O.B. received a BA degree in Business Administration and Accounting from California State University, Fullerton, CA, and an Executive Degree in Management from the University of California, Irvine, CA.