Bronwyn Lindsay has been in the FBO business for 15 years, starting when she was just 19 years old as a part-time line service and customer service representative. Bronwyn, who grew up five minutes from the airport, had never considered a career in aviation before learning about a job opening at the Sonoma County Airport. She soon discovered that she had a passion for all things aviation.
“I fell in love with the airport environment, working with the team, meeting people from all over the world, helping people make the most of their time while visiting, and being active. As I started attending different industry events, I was tremendously impressed with all the people I met. I’ve been shown an incredible amount of support which has been invaluable throughout my career,” Lindsay said
She worked her way up through the ranks, learning all aspects of the Line Service operation, Customer Service, and Accounting, ultimately earning the FBO General Manager position.
“I think they kind of had to make me the general manager,” Lindsay quipped of her rise through the ranks.
A shining example of Bronwyn’s dedication to her work and her community came on Oct. 9, 2017, at the start of the 2017 NBAA conference. Wildfires had exploded overnight in Sonoma; with smoke and flames filling the sky. With the power out at the airport and surrounding area, the airport was in dire straits. Bronwyn, knowing the criticality of supporting the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), got to work from her hotel room in Las Vegas. She sourced and activated backup generators to bring power to KaiserAir’s FBO terminal, fuel farm, and facilities to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply and support of the fire-fighting aircraft. As the fires raged, KaiserAir, served as the base of operations for Cal Fire, Air National Guard, and other firefighting and recovery missions.
And while not every day involves putting out fires, it’s the diversity and fluctuating nature of aviation that Bronwyn says she loves.
“It’s always something new. You get to be hands-on. You get to do a little bit of everything. It’s not just sitting behind a desk and looking at a computer. You have a lot of interactions and new experiences, and learn about other people’s experiences,” Lindsay said.
