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Mr. Harrell has over 38 years of professional experience in air traffic control management and supervision, procedures, airspace, operations, training, runway safety, system effectiveness, program management and systems technology integration & implementation. He is experienced in airport operations and planning and aviation systems management, focusing on civil and military aviation operations, program management, planning, analysis and design, integration and development. He is conversant with business development activities and proposal management and preparation. He currently holds a Top Secret security clearance.
A retired member of the FAA's Senior Executive Service (SES), Mr. Harrell has substantial experience in FAA programs and policies, in military and civil air traffic control and air traffic control systems (domestic and international) and substantial management and supervisory experience. He left Government service after serving in excess of 36 years, the last four and one-half of which where as a SES with FAA Air Traffic Services in Washington Headquarters. There, for one and one-half years, he was the Deputy Program Director, Air Traffic Planning and Procedures Program where he was responsible for management and oversight of a $160 million operating budget and responsible for developing, managing and evaluating operations and procedures for civil, military, international and oceanic air traffic and flight services; delivering essential coordination to the US Armed Forces, US Secret Service, US Customs and members of the law enforcement community, and other organizations that affect and/or operate in the National Airspace System (NAS) and; identifying leading edge technology and ensuring the implementation and transition of new air traffic and flight service functionality into the NAS. In addition, he served, for three years, as the Manager, Terminal/Enroute Procedures Division. In this capacity he developed, managed and evaluated new ATC separation standards and other ATC procedures and developed, managed and evaluated operations related to civil, military, international and oceanic air traffic services.
While in Washington Headquarters, Mr. Harrell held a top secret security clearance and was involved in many activities relating to national security. As a result of one of these activities, he was decorated by the Secretary of Transportation for "distinguished service to the Department in support of the Nation's vital security interests". In addition, he was responsible for analyzing existing and creating new air traffic and flight service procedures in the wake of the September 11th attacks, including procedures to reopen the NAS, procedural and airspace restrictions to allow special and national security events, and procedural and airspace actions which align with the national color coded security threat levels. Also, while in Washington Headquarters, he represented FAA Air Traffic as a member of the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST), RTCA Steering Committee and Aviation Weather Technology Transfer Board (AWTTB), as Executive Director of the Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee (ATPAC), as a member of the U. S, Delegation to Asia/Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group (APANPIRG) annual meetings at ICAO in Bangkok, Thailand as well as represented the FAA in meetings with Members of Congress and other key leadership groups. He has also represented the United States at other international meetings.
As an FAA air traffic controller, staff specialist, supervisor, regional office specialist, manager and senior executive, Mr. Harrell's experience is exceptionally broad. He has worked as a fully qualified controller in two control towers and one TRACON which included the tower and TRACON at the worlds busiest airport, as a watch supervisor in that tower and TRACON, and achieved qualification in non-radar approach control at one tower. Before going to FAA Headquarters, he worked as a regional office specialist in two different regions, as an Air Traffic Manager at four airports, which included three radar approach control facilities and one VFR tower. At these locations, the air traffic operations ranged from 400,000 to over 1,200,000 per year and included very diverse types of aircraft. His ATC management experience covers facilities ranging in size from 40 to a HUB facility with over 270 personnel. As a Navy Air Controlman, he was a certified tower and GCA controller in three facilities and a certified watch supervisor in each.
In addition to developing new business for his company, Mr. Harrell has been helping several clients expand their business base and/or establish a business base with the FAA. In one such case, he was able to help in a client's realization of a $70,000,000 increase in business with the FAA.
Mr. Harrell has over 25 years of management experience ranging from control towers, radar approach control facilities, regional offices, air traffic HUB facilities to FAA headquarters divisions and programs and executive level management. He has several special aviation skills including air traffic procedure development, airport instrument departure and approach procedures design; terminal area procedures design; procedure implementation and evaluation; airspace, operations, training, runway safety, system effectiveness, program management and systems technology integration & implementation; airspace/sector design; airport operations and planning; and aviation systems program management.
Mr. Harrell is an FAA certified Control Tower Operator and Radar Air Traffic Control Specialist.
EDUCATION
05/1999 – 08/1999 — Graduate, Federal Executive Institute - Leadership for a Democratic Society, Charlottesville, Virginia.
10/1978 – 08/1999 — Graduate, numerous U. S. Government and FAA management and leadership courses.
10/1985 – 12/1985 — Cameron University, Lawton, Oklahoma, Supervisory Management, Personnel Relations, Public Administration.
08/1975 – 12/1980 — Associate of Science in Accounting and Business Administration, Triton College, River Grove, Illinois.
08/1975 – 12/1978 — Associate of Arts in Business Management, Triton College, River Grove, Illinois.
09/1972 – 12/1974 — Illinois Central College, East Peoria, Illinois, Accounting.
