Jim DeYoung

Founder of BroadReach Integrated Operations Consulting and former Vice President – Operations Control at United Airlines

Jim is a skilled airline executive with over 25 years of operations experience in the industry.   He founded BroadReach Integrated Operations Consulting in 2021 to assist airlines and aviation vendors towards improved operational reliability and customer experience through high-return investments in technology, process improvement, and operations control infrastructure. Additionally, Jim serves now as a thought leader within the evolving Advanced Air Mobility business sector, specializing in operational control.   

Prior to beginning his airline operations consultancy, Jim was the Vice-President of Network Operations Control for United Airlines.  Based at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Jim directed a team of 900+ Flight Dispatchers, Load Planners, Aircraft Routers, Crew Schedulers, Air Traffic Coordinators, and operations leaders that provided 24/7 management to its worldwide flight operation.   In addition to the NOC operations team, he was also responsible for the Operations Planning, Engineering, and NOC Safety & Regulatory Compliance departments. Additionally, he served as the carrier's representative to the IATA Operations Committee in addition to membership within the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA).  He continues to be involved in these aviation sectors - specializing in operational control. 

While at college, Jim began his aviation career in St. Louis working at Anheuser-Busch’s corporate flight department. He then spent 4 years at Trans States Airlines as a Crew Scheduler, Dispatcher, and Operations Manager. 

Jim joined United in 2000 as a Flight Dispatcher, later moving into roles of ATC Coordinator, Dispatch Manager, and Managing Director - Network Operations. In his director role, he led the team through several changes including the Continental/United merger, design and move to the Willis Tower NOC, reorganization to fleet-based operations management, and the development of new irregular operations management and recovery tools that aided the airline through many large scale weather events and COVID-19 operations.

Jim is also a Private Pilot, FAA Licensed Dispatcher, FAA Part 107 Commerical Drone Pilot, and received his bachelor's degree in Aeronautics and Airway/Air Traffic Science from Saint Louis University.  He's also a graduate of the Executive Management curriculum of the Haas School of Business at USC Berkeley.

An avid sailor, he resides in the Chicago area with his husband.