Tom Harris

President, Alliance Air and Aviation Services

Tom Harris has been an integral part of the development and success of AllianceTexas. With more than 25 years of tenure with Hillwood, Harris has touched every aspect of the business.

Harris began his career with Hillwood in 1990 at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport, the world’s first industrial airport. A key player in its development, Harris worked to establish and grow the airport’s Fixed Base Operation and Airport Management companies into world class operations.

In 2000, Harris moved to direct Hillwood Properties’ Operations and Administration for the AllianceTexas development, which included; property and land management, aerospace and aviation business development, community relations, office administration, security, special events and owners’ association activities. In his role as Senior Vice President of Operations, Harris was also responsible for launching and overseeing Hillwood’s latest success, Alliance Landscape Company, an initiative to provide more efficient and economical high-quality landscape and irrigation solutions for AllianceTexas customers.

Harris recently rejoined the Fort Worth Alliance Airport as President of Alliance Air Services and Alliance Aviation Services and oversees the management, operation and service provision for both groups. Alliance Air/Aviation Services, Hillwood’s aviation management and service companies, manages Alliance Airport for the city of Fort Worth. Alliance Aviation Services operates Hillwood’s full-service Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at the airport.

In this capacity, Harris directs the strategic planning and improvements for the airport, including the development of additional aviation facilities and the expansion of both parallel runways to 11,000 feet. Harris also serves as President of Alliance Air Productions, a non-profit organization responsible for producing the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show. This air show is recognized as one of the best civilian produced shows in the country.

Harris also continues to oversee the Alliance Landscape Company operations, as well as the Alliance Foreign Trade Zone #196.

Before joining Hillwood, Harris served as manager of operations and maintenance for the City of Austin Aviation Department. He additionally worked at airports in Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin in various management positions for LSG/SkyChefs airline catering activities for several major airlines.

Tom is a member of the American Association of Airport Executives and currently serves on the Board of Director’s for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the Birdville ISD Education Foundation, World Fuels Air Elite Board of Directors, and is the current Chairman of HCA North Hills Hospital Board of Trustees and The Tarrant County Workforce Solutions Aerospace Consortium.

Harris is past Chair of the First Candle/SIDS Alliance Board of Directors, a national nonprofit organization formed to increase community awareness and raise research funds for a cure or prevention of SIDS, stillbirth and other infant loss. Harris is the founder of the North Texas First Candle SIDS affiliate.

Tom and his wife Ellen are also the co-founders of the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds for depression research efforts, advocates on behalf of families who have lost loved ones to suicide and supports the local chapter of Mental Health America, now affiliated with MHMR.

Harris is a 1977 graduate of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, a 2008 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business Executive Development Program and a graduate of Leadership Fort Worth. 

John Terrell

Vice President Commercial Development, DFW International Airport

John C. Terrell is the Vice President of Commercial Development and is responsible for the strategic direction in development, acquisition, leasing, property management and natural gas exploration/production on nearly 18,000 acres of land.

He leads the strategic planning, marketing and implementation of business initiatives for commercial land development and redevelopment as well as provides direction and oversight of the airports Land Use Analysis and Land Use Master Planning processes outside the central terminal areas.

Mr. Terrell has over 30 years of real estate experience and an extensive background and knowledge in real estate sales, marketing, property management, development, leasing,economic development, and government relations.

Mr. Terrell holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a certificate in Asian Business Studies. He holds an International Airport Professional (IAP) designation, being recognized by ACI and ICAO as having achieved highly rigorous standards for expertise in the field of airport management. He also served as Mayor for the City of Southlake, Texas for six years.

William Welstead

Director, City of Fort Worth System of Airports

Bill Welstead is director of the City of Fort Worth system of airports, where he provides support to the City Manager’s Office. He has full management responsibility for the system and recommends policies to the Aviation Advisory Board and City Council for strategic planning and operation of Alliance, Meacham and Spinks airports.

Prior to serving as director, Welstead served as an airman in the United States Coast Guard at Los Angeles International Airport and Mobile Regional Airport, public information officer for the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, operations supervisor at Omaha’s medium hub commercial airport Eppley Airfield and airport manager of Meacham International Airport. Welstead is also a graduate of the Academy of Real Estate, where he received his real estate license.

Welstead is an accredited airport executive, a member of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the AAAE Finance and Administration Committee, the AAAE Airport Operations/Safety/Planning Committee, the ACI-NA Finance Committee and provides technical guidance to the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies through the Airport Cooperative Research Program.

Welstead received a bachelor’s degree in aviation management from the University of Nebraska – Omaha, where he graduated with honors as aviation student of the year. He was selected as a 40 under 40 professional by the Fort Worth Business Press, a National Top 40 under 40 Airport Business Magazine awardee, NATA National Executive Partnership awardee and received the 2013 Reliever Airport of the Year award from the State of Texas. He is also a pilot and continues to enjoy flying today.