Sixel Consulting Group

The Sixel Consulting Group team brings a collection of varied backgrounds to the field of air service development. We’re former airline and airport executives, airline analysts, data junkies, and former aviation journalists. We use all of our skills to make the best cases for additional service in more than 70 current client markets around the country.

	Mark Sixel, President and Owner Mark Sixel is a nationally recognized leader in air service development. Mark has been working on behalf of airports since graduating from the University of Texas in Austin with his Master Degree in Business Administration. In 1996 he formed “Transportation Solutions, Inc.” in Austin, his first fully owned airport and air services consulting firm. In 2001 he renamed the company Sixel Consulting Group, Inc. to better reflect the recognition that he had received in the industry. Mark has represented hundreds of airports of varying sizes at airline corporate headquarters, industry conferences and at local community forums. He has also been a featured speaker at numerous aviation conferences, both on the regional and the national level, and is frequently asked by regional and national media from around the nation for his expert views on the industry. Mark has developed strong, personal relationships with top airline route decision makers and continues to work with them on behalf of airports across the country. Mark’s innovate solutions to air service challenges have made him a favorite in airline boardrooms around the country.
	Michael Lum, Air Service Strategy and Development Consultant Michael joined Sixel Consulting Group in November 2008. He currently works with clients on air service strategy and development. Michael brings more than a dozen years of airline planning experience to the Group. He offers clients his insight into how airlines make new route decisions and how airlines project the financial performance of each route. Prior to joining SCG, Michael spent nine years at American Airlines where he worked in American Eagle Planning and Marketing. His responsibilities included route and schedule planning, network, fleet and competitive analysis, codeshare relationships, negotiating minimum revenue guarantees with airports, and ad hoc corporate development projects. Michael has been a key negotiator between American Eagle and many airports seeking to partner with the airline for new and expanded service. He understands air service development from “the other side of the table.” In his last three years with the airline, American Eagle launched 118 new routes. In addition to his career at American, Michael also spent time at both KPMG and Andersen Consulting. He managed projects in transportation and travel services industries, working for clients who included United Parcel Service (UPS), Airborne Express, Trans World Airlines (TWA), Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), and Norfolk Southern. Michael has an MBA in Corporate Finance. He is based in Dallas, Texas.
	Kris Nichter, Director of Business Development Kris joined Sixel Consulting Group in September of 2008. He is responsible for assisting airport clients in developing both passenger and cargo service. Kris is well known nationally, maintaining top level connections at most airports, and all major airlines. Kris has more than 15 years of aviation/travel related experience and knowledge. Kris started his career in the airline industry in 1995 where he worked for Delta Airlines in customer service at Toledo Express Airport. Kris then gained corporate travel experience with a Northwest Ohio travel management company in 1996. He was responsible for all aspects of travel agency management and operations. In 1999, Kris began his airport career with the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority as an air service development analyst where he worked for nine years. Kris successfully developed one of the first air service development programs and then increased his knowledge to gain the position of Director of Business Development, Marketing and Community Affairs. During his tenure at Toledo, Kris was responsible for attracting six new airlines. Kris was also involved with promoting the development of Toledo’s air cargo assets. Today, Toledo Express holds the title as one of the world’s top 50 air cargo airports. Kris is currently actively involved with various airline/airport/marketing organizations where he has been a featured speaker at industry conferences and events such as AAAE’s National Air service conference, ACI’s marketing and communications conference, Airport Ground Handling 101 conference and the Midwest airline marketing roundtable. Kris also is interviewed by national media including ABC News and various well known newspapers such as the Detroit News/Free Press to provide comment and quotes.
	Jack Penning, Director of Market Analysis Jack joined Sixel Consulting Group in 2001, from his career as an aviation journalist. Jack is now the firm’s Director of Market Analysis – in charge of overseeing many of the Group’s research and airline recruitment projects. Among Jack’s wide-ranging responsibilities are developing case studies for new air service, producing airline recruitment videos, developing leakage studies, and writing federal Small Community Air Service Development Grant (SCASDG) proposals. Jack is considered an expert in Grant development, as his proposals have won Sixel client airports more than $9 million since 2005. Jack is well known throughout the Pacific Northwest for his previous work as the Aviation Reporter for KGW-TV, the NBC affiliate in Portland, Oregon, and NorthWest Cable News (NWCN), the 24-hour news channel covering five Northwest states. His aviation-related journalism has been featured on major networks such as CNN and MSNBC. Jack is an Emmy and an Edward R. Morrow Award winner. Jack earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He and his wife live in Portland, Oregon.
	Mike Mooney, Air Service Strategy and Development Consultant Mike Mooney joined the Sixel Consulting Group team in August 2009. Mike works with clients on air service strategy and air service development. Mike is well known in the industry, with 35 years of airline and air service development experience. Mike started in the industry straight out of college as a ramp and ticket agent for various commuter airlines. Mike then gained his dispatcher license and learned the fine art of air crew scheduling and planning. Mike was one of the original employees of Midwest Airlines, hired in 1984. At Midwest, he rose from Chief Dispatcher to Vice President of Planning, Pricing and Revenue Management. He spent 20 years with the airline, from 1984 to 2003. Mike then moved to air service development consulting, spending more than five years with another firm before joining Sixel Consulting Group. Mike has a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Transportation from the University of Dubuque.
	Jamie Kogutek, Air Service Strategy and Development Consultant Jamie joined the firm in May 2011 as an air service strategy and development consultant. With over 15 years of experience, Jamie brings insight from the perspective of low-cost / low-fare carriers. As Senior Manager, Strategic Planning and Scheduling at AirTran Airways, Jamie was part of the team that achieved the industry's lowest costs while maintaining a high-value product, and expanded the company from 100 to 140 aircraft. Jamie began his aviation career in Customer Service and Operations for America West Airlines in Columbus, while earning a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management and Transportation and Logistics from the Max M. Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University. Jamie was the primary scheduling analyst for America West Express, before joining AirTran in 2005.
	Greg Atkin, Air Service Strategy and Development Consultant Greg, the newest member of the Sixel team, joined the firm in February 2013. Greg has over seven years of airline experience at US Airways in various roles, including Pricing and Route Planning. During that time, Greg helped to streamline the US Airways route network to focus on its competitive strengths. He also significantly restructured pricing in Washington, DC, to bolster a large number of new and existing markets. Greg’s interest in the airline industry began at a very young age when he would draw airports and read airline timetables for fun, and he has continued to be a student and enthusiast of the industry. Greg earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. Greg resides in St. George, Utah.
	Elizabeth Cecconi, Manager of Community Development and Marketing Elizabeth joined the firm in December 2012 as Manager of Community Development and Marketing. Elizabeth is responsible for overseeing and developing the marketing efforts of client airports in Toledo, Ohio (TOL), and St. Augustine, Florida (UST), including strategic campaign development, community outreach, and air service development. With over 9 years of aviation expericene, Elizabeth brings an extensive airport marketing and social media background to the firm. Elizabeth comes to Sixel from SimliFlying, an international firm specializing in airport and airline brand strategy, where she worked as the head of airport engagement. Elizabeth began her airport career at the Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) where she served as marketing manager and an integral part of the industry-leading CAK marketing team and, more recently, served as the first-ever director of marketing and community development for the South Bend Airport (SBN). She earned her Bachelor of Sciance degree in aviation business administration from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. She resides in Rochester, NY.
	Alex Lynch, Multimedia Producer Alex joined Sixel Consulting Group in April 2013 from his previous work as an Emmy-winning media producer and photographer. Alex is responsible for producing, shooting, and editing Sixel Consulting Group's unique airline recruitment videos, comunity outreach videos, airport and airline training videos, airport television advertising, and airport social media videos. Alex brings 17 years of major market experience to Sixel Consulting Group, with a specialty in aviation journalism. Prior to joining SCG, Alex spent his last 12 years at KGW-TV, the NBC affiliate in Portland, Oregon, where he traveled the Pacific Northwest, interviewing community members, and telling their stories. During his career, Alex has been honored with dozens of awards, including two Emmys. Alex is considered one of the finest photojournalists in the country, placeing third in the National Photographer of the Year category. Alex earned his Bachelor of Arts from the journalism school at the University of Montana. Alex lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and two sons. He is known in his neighborhood as the guy who roasts his own coffee beans - which is especially impressive in the coffee-crazed Northwest.
	Jeff Hayes, Director of Marketing Jeff joined SCG in 2007 as the Director of Marketing. Today he has wide ranging responsibilities including assisting with airline presentations, research projects, and working with communities to build air service. Jeff has worked in the airline industry for 20 years. His experience includes airline and airport management, route planning, airline schedule analysis, air traffic forecasting and six years working for the US Government in the Department of Homeland Security. Among other positions, Jeff has worked in upper management for BAA-Indianapolis International Airport and American Trans Air (ATA). Jeff attended Purdue University majoring in Aviation Management.
	John Gunderson, Information Systems Manager John has worked for Mark Sixel since 2000. John’s primary role is to keep SCG on the leading edge of the current technology. John created SCG’s network operating system and is responsible for keeping all hardware and software optimized. John has developed websites for airport clients and is in charge of quality control on all projects. He also ensures the integrity of the data acquired to study markets and new route opportunities.
	Karen Salman, Accounting Supervisor Karen joined the firm in the fall of 2009 as a part-time bookkeeper in the Eugene office, after 37 years working in accounting firms and in private industry. She became a full-time staff member in January of 2011. In addition to overseeing accounting procedures, Karen utilizes her editing and proof-reading skills to review presentations, quarterly reports, grant proposals and other documents. Karen has a degree in Psychology and a teaching certificate from the University of California, Riverside.
	Terri Campbell, Director, Travel Services Terri joined Sixel Consulting Group in June 2011. As Director of Travel Services, she coordinates travel for Sixel staff, manages the semi-annual air service conferences, and liaisons with travel agencies to secure accurate travel data for true market reports. She also consults directly with companies, offering travel and entertainment best practice solutions through a defined travel management program. Terri’s 20+ years in the travel industry encompass an eclectic range: from managing leisure and corporate travel agencies in Honolulu and San Diego, to arranging tours for fellow ex-pat travelers while living in Pakistan. Most recently, she spent the last decade as Travel Buyer for Levi Strauss & Co. She received her degree from Phoenix College, majoring in Travel Industry Studies. Terri is bi-coastal so, depending upon the season, she lives in either Oregon or Vermont.
	Erika Gregory, GIS Specialist/Air Service Analyst Erika joined the Sixel Consulting Group team in November of 2010, specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). She is called upon to transform layers of data into efficient, easy-to-read geographic analysis, including detailed catchment area studies, route maps, spatially modeled market research, and other projects directly related to the pursuit of additional air service. She assists the Sixel team in the research and production of airline presentations. Erika earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University at Buffalo in New York.
	Lauren Thompson, GIS Specialist/Graphics Designer Lauren joined Sixel Consulting Group in November of 2010, specializing in cartographic design and mapping using the latest technological applications in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. Lauren is in charge of developing and editing projects combining GIS, cartography, and geographic visualization techniques in support of the cases for new and expanded air service and airport analysis. Lauren is also responsible for template design for annual and quarterly reports for client airports, and does design work for both client and in-house projects. Lauren earned her Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Oregon, with an emphasis in Geographic Information Science. She lives in Eugene.
	Josh Stone, Research Associate A numbers whiz, Josh joined the Sixel team in May of 2009. Josh uses SCG's vast library of resources to locate and supply the other team members with data necessary to solidify cases. Josh is currently pursuing a BSBA in Aviation Management from Auburn University.