2021 Airport Business Top 40 Under 40: Gloria Bouillon C.M., A.C.E.
As the daughter of a French immigrant, Gloria Bouillon always envisioned flying her family to France instead of flying commercially when she was growing up.
She knew she wanted to be a pilot from a very young age. When Bouillon was 13 years old, she took her first flight with a bush pilot her family knew to see if it was what she wanted to do.
“We took off from this little grass field airstrip and he let me take the controls for the takeoff,” Bouillon said. “The second I was airborne, I was like ‘oh my gosh, this is what I have to do. There’s no turning back.’”
Bouillon is the airport manager for the Beverly Regional Airport (BVY). She manages the operations, security, marketing, capital projects, contract negotiations, construction, maintenance and all other aspects of running a growing regional airport.
She has worked almost every position in the industry and understands the perspective from conducting economic impact studies, creating master plans for airports, facility layout plans, economic feasibility studies, operations, security, project management for large construction projects, aviation insurance, snowplow operator and even an airport rescue firefighter at one time.
“I like to shake things up with the purpose of growth and innovation,” she said. “Each time someone well-meaning would tell me ‘don’t bring up that issue,’ that was the times that I really stuck my neck out because I’m so understanding that whenever you overcome a challenge what the rewards will be.”
She previously worked as the manager of the Pittsfield Municipal Airport (PSF), where she led the facility through two major runway reconstructions, a masterplan, a terminal design and building one of the largest solar arrays in the state of Massachusetts.
“I like to think big and make that a reality,” Bouillon said.
BVY was about to lose its primary runway when Bouillon was hired on, but she was determined to change the direction of the airport.
Bouillon and her commission forged ahead with a master plan to meet the needs and growth of the community in the next 20 years. She wants to collaborate and connect with the community, local and state agencies to be a present partner in growth and opportunity.
“The airport now instead of contracting and demolishing a runway is now looking at its biggest expansion in history,” Bouillon said. “We’ve moved from No. 9 in the state to No. 2 and I look forward to becoming No. 1.”
Bouillon was named one of the Top Women in Aviation and Aerospace to Follow in 2021. She was also put in the Beverly Historic Society as the first female airport manager to manage the airport since it opened in 1928. She has also been asked to speak internationally on how she has achieved 30 percent growth in one year, despite the challenges of COVID.
"My philosophy has always been, let's find a way to do it, especially with something innovative," she said. "Then, I'll find a way. That's what I try to encourage with young college students and aspiring new airport managers. To plant the seed."
