Taking Flight: Navigating Industry Changes with Metro Aviation

The 2020 pandemic has drastically changed the business landscape and put the medical aviation industry under the spotlight. When COVID hit, air services became an essential service to give access to healthcare across urban and rural areas alike and they have remained at the forefront of business preoccupations since. 

Case in point: in 2022, NASA launched a new mission to research and gather data on advanced air mobility. If they reach their ambitions, in five years technologies like air taxis and drones will be integrated into public services. 

So today, we get to the heart of the medical aviation industry, to understand where it’s been, where it’s going, and how to navigate the changes ahead. And we hear the story of Metro Aviation, the largest private air medical operator in the United States and a family business like no other. 

With Todd Stanberry, Vice President and Co-owner, we dive into 40 years of business history and build a roadmap for a dense and fast-changing business landscape. We discuss strategies to hone your business expertise and keep a competitive edge, and find out how to balance business tradition with leadership development and technological integration.  

Tune in with host Ari Marin and Todd today and get ready for take off.

Highlights:

• The early days of Metro Aviation (3:39)
• How Mike Stanberry booked his first jobs (6:51)
• Metro’s launch into air medical services (8:51)
• When Todd joined the family business (11:13)
• Navigating a dense market – the case of medical aviation (14:38)
• Specialization as a competitive edge (18:41)
• Metro Aviation’s completion expertise (20:56)
• How to balance traditional leadership while embracing the future (22:55)
• Connecting with the talent inside your ranks (25:08)
• “I don't have a crystal ball, but I can tell you what needs to change.” (27:49)
• The future of aviation is electric (29:35)
• Todd’s personal aspiration for years to come (31:45)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Todd Stanberry LinkedIn
• Metro Aviation LinkedIn
• Metro Aviation Website
• Metro Aviation Business News 
• Article: “Metro’s Todd Stanberry on the future of the company and the HEMS sector”
• Article: "Metro Aviation signs for 20 BETA eVTOLs" 
• Research: Nasa’s Advanced Air Mobility Mission

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [e-mail] or [e-mail].