b'8 SUN OPERATIONSPlanning and Poise Under Pressure Help Sun Valley/Friedman Memorial Manage Traffic Surge for Elite Business Retreat BY JENNIFER DAACK WOOLSONThe first day at any new job canother luminaries to a posh mountain resorttraffic management challenges in the air be tough, but Chris Pomeroysto talk strategy, make connections andand on the ramp at SUN. On a typical was a real doozy. His initiationlisten to presentations on a wide varietyday, the small airport averages about 70 as airport director atof topics such as politics, healthcare,arrivals and departures, a mix of general Sun Valley/Friedmanthe economy and Elon Musks plans toaviation flights and commercial service. Memorial (SUN) incolonize Mars. One can only image theBut traffic surges dramatically during the Hailey, ID, was also thedeals that are struck. annual Sun Valley Conference. This year, first day of the 2016Attendees often bring their families,Pomeroy expects an average of 200 daily Sun Valley Conference,and most arrive in Gulfstream G650s,operations, with aircraft landing or taking an exclusive summerBombardier Global Express, Challengersoff every two minutes during peak times camp for billionairesCHRIS POMEROY and other impressive private jets that landon arrival day.hosted by investmenton the single runway at SUN. Pomeroys firm Allen & Company. Only the top 1%focus is getting them all on the groundOvercoming Chaosof executives and innovators are invited,safely, and then sending them off in thewith Structureand the annual event draws the likes of Billsame manner after the conference ends.The A-list event, a tradition since 1983, Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffettbegins on the first Tuesday in July and and media mogul Shari Redstone.Gathering some of the worlds busiestruns through the following weekend. To executives in the picturesque Idahoprepare for the associated traffic, Pomeroy The elite five-day gathering bringssetting makes it easier for them to hundreds of high-powered executives andand his team start planning each year in connectand also creates spectacular July | August 2023AirportImprovement.com'