Airport Experience® News - Conference Issue 2026

SPEAKERS & MODERATORS

ALEA LAROCQUE Alea LaRocque is the vice president of business

PAUL HILLEN Paul Hillen is the senior vice president and general manager of Java House Brands at Heartland Food Products Group based in Indianapolis, IN Heartland is the maker of

development at WHSmith North America, where she leads airport retail growth across the western United States and

Canada Prior to WHSmith, Alea served as director of business development at Mission Yogurt, where she helped more than double the company’s footprint through the launch of new food, beverage, and retail concepts Earlier in her career, she supported entrepreneurs as assistant director of the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center, guiding small business owners as they turned ideas into sustainable ventures

Splenda brand sweeteners, Slimfast protein beverages, Java House Cold Brew Coffee, and several private label consumer packaged goods Prior to his role at Java House Brands, Hillen was president of marketing agency IEN He has also held executive roles at Revier Cattle Company, Cargill and Procter & Gamble

BELINDA JAIN Belinda Jain is vice president of customer experience and commercial at JFKIAT – the operator of Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport (JFK) In her role at JFKIAT, Jain

CHRISTINE LINDENMUTH Christine Lindenmuth serves as the director of concessions and quality assurance for the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) Over the past three decades, she has

is responsible for generating and managing the company’s non-aviation revenues, working with the team and business partners to develop world class retail, food and beverage, and passenger service concepts, featuring a distinctive ‘New York sense of place’ across T4’s extensive commercial program She also leads JFKIAT’s customer experience strategy, partnering with stakeholders to enhance T4’s passenger satisfaction, the company’s marketing and public relations efforts, and spearheads innovation within the organization

held leadership roles supporting Detroit Metro (DTW) and Willow Run (YIP) Airports, specializing in concessions commercial planning, procurement, and administration Most recently, she has led strategic business development initiatives, overseeing lifecycle replacements for in-terminal concessions, rental car operations, and advertising programs, as well as negotiating a fuel station and service complex serving the DTW community

JEFF LIVNEY Jeff is the vice president of business development - digital products at Airport Dimensions and is focused on growing AD's Connecta digital airport platform Jeff joined AD

DOUG KREULEN Doug Kreulen is president and chief executive officer for the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, responsible for both Nashville International Airport (BNA) and John C Tune

from GrayMatter Software Solutions, where he served as vice president of products He joined GrayMatter following its acquisition of Servy, the airport e-commerce platform he co-founded in 2014 As CXO at Servy, the self-service platform for airport hospitality, where he led partnerships with airports, developers, and merchants, helping scale the platform across major global markets to achieve over 50 million digital orders across over 80 airports and 200 concessionaires globally

Airport (JWN) Kreulen joined the airport authority in 2012 and was named president and CEO in December 2017 Before joining MNAA, Kreulen served four years as director of operations for the Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority Prior to beginning his career in the commercial aviation sector, Kreulen served in the United States Air Force for 27 years

MICHELE LARIMER Michele Larimer is a partner at Silhouette Design

BENEDICT MA Benedict Ma is the director of retail experience at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), where he leads the strategy and execution of innovative retail programs that

Architecture Since joining Silhouette in 2019, Larimer has played a pivotal role in expanding the firm’s national project

portfolio, particularly within complex, high-traffic, high-visibility hospitality, retail, dining and non-traditional environments Prior to her appointment as partner, Larimer was director of projects, leading interdisciplinary teams and coordinating with clients, consultants, and contractors to deliver design solutions that are both operationally efficient and richly contextual As partner, Michele continues to guide the firm’s project execution strategy while mentoring emerging leaders and deepening client partnerships nationwide

enhance the overall passenger experience Benedict has been with YVR for three years, and during this time has held a key role in bringing local businesses offerings to the terminal as well as various customer service initiatives Benedict plays a pivotal role in shaping YVR's diverse retail landscape, ensuring it aligns with the evolving demands of travelers while fostering sustainability and profitability He has also held previous directorial and managerial roles with CBRE Canada, Knight Frank and Cushman & Wakefield

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AX NEWS MARCH 2026