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Ontario Airport Photo of Student, Ontario Airport Staff, Professor and Dean
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Cal Poly ĢƵ Students Partner with Ontario International Airport to “Future-Proof” Airport Parking
When Ontario International Airport (ONT) wanted fresh perspectives on expanding opportunities for parking operations across the airport’s 1,741-acre campus, the answer came from an unexpected source — Cal Poly ĢƵ students.
Through the College of Business Administration’s (CBA) inaugural CEO Business Challenge, more than 100 students stepped into the role of consultants to reimagine future parking and mobility strategies for the rapidly growing airport. The challenge gives students hands-on experience providing supportive guidance for a major industry and community organization.
Tackling a Real-World Challenge
The collaboration kicked off with meetings and airport tours led by ONT personnel, who invited students to analyze real parking data and propose solutions that could help to improve both efficiency and profitability.
“Ontario International Airport is proud to partner with Cal Poly ĢƵ, a university whose ‘become by doing’ philosophy inspires innovation and real-world impact,” said Atif Elkadi, CEO of ONT. “Together, we’re creating opportunities for bright young minds to tackle authentic business challenges through the CEO Business Challenge — a platform where creativity meets strategy and classroom learning transforms into meaningful action.”
Students explored the airport’s operations firsthand, including visits to parking lots and airfield areas, gaining insights into the complexities of parking demand, rideshare competition, and electric vehicle infrastructure.
“When we were first presented with future-proofing parking as a potential topic for the challenge, we were excited about the multi-dimensional nature of the challenge and the many ways in which the problem could be addressed,” said Rita Kumar, professor of technology and operations management and director of the Singelyn Center for Innovative Analytics, who organized the event. “The tour made it so much more real — from the airfield to the signage to how far each lot is from the terminal. Students could visualize the challenge in a tangible way.”
From the Classroom to the Boardroom
The CEO Business Challenge truly embodies Cal Poly ĢƵ’s “become by doing” philosophy. Students worked in interdisciplinary teams, applying business analytics, marketing, and technology concepts to real airport data. Their goal: create sustainable, data-driven recommendations for the future of facility parking that balance customer convenience, innovation, and profitability.
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Student Presentation in Competition
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“I think this creates a unique opportunity for our students to collaborate as a team and engage with an industry partner in our local community to help address an issue of critical importance,” Kumar said.
The challenge culminated with a final presentation event on October 22nd, where teams pitched their strategies to a panel of judges that included airport executives, faculty, and industry professionals.
Teams were evaluated on problem identification and understanding, practical solutions, strategic thinking, innovation and creativity, as well as storytelling.
Creative Solutions and Winning Teams
After hours of collaboration and analysis, three teams earned top honors.
NewGate Solutions — consisting of Peter Heejae Hwang (’27, marketing), Tyler Soon (’27, technology and operations management), Arvean Kiannasr (’27, finance, real estate, and law), Shane Whittle (’27, finance, real estate and law), and Brandon Gonzalez Pueblas (’26, management and human resources) — captured first place and a $2,500 prize.
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Team New Gates Solution
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Their presentation combined a phased rollout of sustainability-focused ideas with innovative pricing models based on near-term and long-term strategies to maximize future revenue opportunities for ONT’s parking facilities. “Our team wanted to reflect ONT’s vision of service to its community while finding effective and tangible ways to boost profitability. When we weren’t fully confident during our preparation, we called an audible, adjusted, and went all in. Our willingness to self-critique became the fire that forged a stronger and more authentic presentation,” explained the five-person team.
Team 1 Consulting — Benjamin Tran (’27, computer science), Elijah Chan (’27, computer science), Chelsey Luc (’26, computer information systems), Kellan Young (’28, computer science), and Ella Lee (’26, computer information systems) — earned second place and $1,500.
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Team 1 Consulting
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PolyInsights, featuring Brandon Chang (’26, computer science), Stella Lim (’27, computer information systems), Abhishek Sarepaka (’26, computer science), and Nikhitha Vasiraju (’27, computer science), finished third, taking home $1,000.
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Team PolyInsights
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For many students, the experience went beyond competition.
“I signed up by myself, so I met people when teams were formed,” said Victor Lin (’26, master’s in digital supply chain management). “The collaboration to collectively agree upon solutions that could match the client’s expectations was really cool. Win or lose, it wasn’t just about competing for the top prize — it was about connecting with people and critical thinking. This will be a fun memory and a milestone in my personal and professional growth.”
A Partnership Rooted in Community
The collaboration reflects a shared mission between ONT and Cal Poly ĢƵ to connect learning with regional impact.
“When Sandeep first reached out, I thought, what a great opportunity to get to know leaders in our community,” Elkadi said. “This collaboration is more than a business challenge — it’s a call to action. It’s a chance for students to step into complexity and bring us clarity, to look at a real organization and say, ‘Here’s how I would lead it.’”
Elkadi also shared his pride in the airport’s role as a key regional player.
“Out of about 400 to 500 airports in the United States, Ontario International is ranked number 10 in cargo,” he said. “During the pandemic, we were actually number one. That’s how vital our airport is to the region and to the movement of goods and supplies in Southern California. We don’t believe in the status quo — we believe we’re a major gateway to Southern California.”
Since its transition to local control in 2016, Ontario International has grown from 1.9 million passengers to 7.2 million annually, doubling its international routes and expanding its amenities. Its continued success, Elkadi emphasized, depends on staying ahead of shifts in transportation and customer behavior — exactly the kind of challenge that calls for fresh, data-driven thinking.
Building Bridges Between Academia and Industry
For Cal Poly ĢƵ, the challenge underscores the power of academic-industry collaboration.
“Through the CEO Business Challenge, students gain hands-on experience applying data analysis, strategic thinking, and creativity to an authentic business case,” said Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Singelyn Family Dean of the College of Business Administration. “It directly aligns with Cal Poly ĢƵ’s ‘become by doing’ philosophy.”
Krishnamurthy praised both Kumar and Elkadi for creating a transformative experience for students.
“We are so excited to have the community come together to create this opportunity,” he said. “Dr. Kumar worked incredibly hard to organize it, and as the founding director of one of our flagship centers, the Singelyn Center for Innovative Analytics, she’s continuing to expand partnerships with leading enterprises — from Boeing and Meta to the Ontario International Airport.”
The dean also lauded Elkadi’s leadership: “Atif Elkadi is one of the most energetic and energizing leaders in our community, and it shows in Ontario Airport’s growth. That success is a testament to his leadership and commitment to innovation.”
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Dr. Rita Kumar, Atif Elkadi with Dean Dr. Krishnamurthy
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Supporting collaborators from Elkadi’s ONT team included Sr. VP of Administration Jamaal Avilez, Chief People Officer Angela Lauber-Conroy, Chief Information Officer Chuck Miwa, Chief Financial Officer Celeste Heinonen, Sr. VP of Revenue Management Elisa Grey, Executive VP of Corporate Strategy and Performance Karen Kavanagh, Director of Community Engagement Stephanie King, Chief of Staff Lesa Byars, Ground Transportation Manager Krista McLain, Community Engagement Manager Emily Paredez, Community Engagement Specialist Jennifer Contreras, and consultant Martha Hernandez.
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