Nick Belluardo

Aeronautics Careers Academy Completer Oversees Planning for Cleveland Airports

Nick Belluardo, a 2010 Woodridge graduate, is the Planning Manager of the
Cleveland Airport System, where he oversees planning for current and future demands of Cleveland Hopkins Airport and Burke Lakefront Airport, as well as compliance with FAA regulations, federal grants and capital improvement projects.

Nick joined the inaugural class of the Compact’s Aeronautics Careers Academy
in 2009 and completed his senior year under the guidance of instructor Ed Borsuk. “When I went to Kent State University to study Air Traffic Control, I was leaps and bounds ahead of my classmates,” he says. “I couldn’t believe how much I learned in one year.” Ultimately, Nick got his pilot’s license and earned a dual bachelor’s degree in ATC and Aviation Management with a minor in Business at KSU in 2015.

Before he graduated, Nick was hired as the manager of the Wadsworth Municipal Airport and then served as airport manager for the Jefferson County Regional Airport Authority. While transitioning to a new position as Airport Planner for Cleveland in 2016, he founded two companies—AeroTrek Flight Academy and Flight Services of Wadsworth. Nick and his two partners employ 15 to 20 personnel and conduct flight training, airport maintenance and operate the Wadsworth Municipal Airport.

In 2018, Nick received the New Professional Award from Kent State University and was also recognized by his peers in the Airport Business Top 40 under 40, which showcases top talent in the airport industry. “Looking back, I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am without Ed Borsuk,” Nick
says. “I found my passion. I love the grind and the headaches of my job, and it all started with Ed and the Six District Educational Compact.”