What Unison Consulting does

Founded in 1989/1990 by Anthony Drake in Chicago, Unison Consulting, Inc. is a specialized aviation consulting firm serving U.S. airport operators of all sizes — small, medium, and large hub airports. The firm delivers six core service lines: Financial Planning (strategic financial plans, capital program funding, rates and charges, airline lease negotiations), Economics (transportation demand modeling, market assessment, benefit-cost analysis, economic impact assessment), Concessions Planning & Management (market research, space planning, program management), Airport Surveys & Benchmarking, Audit and Cost Recovery (contract compliance, PFC and AIP federal assistance), and Data Analytics (dashboard development, predictive analytics, third-party data integration).

Unison's technical capabilities center on data visualization dashboards (tactical, strategic, and operational) and the TSA Throughput Tracker, a COVID-19 era tool monitoring passenger traffic recovery across U.S. airports. Data integration spans Excel, databases, data warehouses, social media, cloud applications, and Big Data, enriched with third-party sources such as OAG and DOT for predictive and spatial analytics. The personnel profile is unusually executive-heavy for a firm of 11-50 employees: named senior professionals include Anthony Drake (33+ years aviation finance, former CFO of the City of Chicago's Department of Aviation overseeing the $1.8 billion O'Hare International Airport Redevelopment Program), Donald Arthur (former Deputy Airport Director – Finance and Administration at John Wayne Airport), Dr. Sharon Sarmiento (economist with 24 years leading Unison's economic consulting), Bhavesh Patel (former Chief Revenue Officer at Denver International Airport managing ~$770M in annual revenues), and Barry Molar (45 years in aviation including 31 years in the FAA's Office of Chief Counsel and Office of Airports, most recently as Manager of the Airports Financial Assistance Division).

The firm operates a professional services business model, generating revenue through project-based consulting engagements and on-call consultant arrangements with airport operators procured via RFQ/RFP processes. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales with event-driven thought leadership, including presentations at the 97th Annual AAAE Conference & Exposition (June 2025) and publications on Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding provisions, accessibility initiatives, and COVID-19 recovery. In March 2026, Unison merged with Paslay Management Group of Fort Worth, Texas to create a more comprehensive aviation consultancy; the combined entity brings together Unison's financial, concessions, economics, and data analytics expertise with Paslay's Executive Program Management model, with a joint track record of managing $51.7 billion in airport programs since 2006.

Name

Unison Consulting

Legal name

Unison Consulting, Inc.

Website

https://unison-ucg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago-based aviation consulting firm serving U.S. airport operators with financial planning, economics, concessions planning, surveys, audit, and data analytics services. Following its March 2026 merger with Paslay Management Group, the combined entity manages $51.7 billion in airport programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Airport Consulting Services: Professional consulting services delivered to airport clients including financial planning, economics consulting, concessions planning and management, airport surveys and benchmarking, audit and cost recovery, and data analytics. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements and on-call consultant arrangements with airport operators.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Unison Consulting provides specialized aviation consulting services to U.S. airport operators, including financial planning, economics, concessions planning and management, airport surveys and benchmarking, audit and cost recovery, and data analytics. The firm helps airports increase non-aeronautical revenues, fund large capital programs, comply with FAA requirements, and make data-driven operational decisions. Services are delivered by former airport executives and aviation finance experts through project-based consulting engagements and on-call consulting arrangements.

Product overview

Unison Consulting is an aviation consulting firm that provides a suite of professional services to airport clients. The company operates as a unified consulting practice offering financial planning, economics, concessions planning and management, airport surveys and benchmarking, audit and cost recovery, and data analytics services. These services are delivered by a team of aviation finance experts and are designed to help airports increase revenues and improve operations through data-driven decision making.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Planning Airport financial consulting including strategic financial plans, capital program funding, and airport financing strategies for U.S. airport operators.
• Economics Airport economic consulting including transportation demand modeling, market assessment, benefit-cost analysis, and economic impact assessment.
• Concessions Planning & Management Airport concession planning, development, and implementation services including market research, space planning, and program management for non-aeronautical revenue programs.
• Airport Surveys & Benchmarking Passenger surveys, market research, and industry benchmarking services for airports.
• Audit and Cost Recovery Contract compliance audits, federal assistance maximization (PFC, AIP), and cost recovery services for airports.
• Data Analytics Data visualization dashboards (tactical, strategic, operational), data preparation, enrichment with third-party sources (OAG, DOT), and predictive analytics for airport decision-making.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed $51.7 billion in airport programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Paslay Management Group (Paslay Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Unison Consulting has merged with Paslay Management Group of Fort Worth, Texas to create a more comprehensive aviation consultancy serving U.S. airport clients. The merger integrates Unison's financial, concessions, economics, and data analytics expertise with Paslay's Executive Program Management model. The combined entity brings together two established airport consulting firms with a track record of managing $51.7 billion in airport programs since 2006. The combined firm offers expanded enterprise-level services spanning capital program financial strategy, operational execution, and organizational development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unison Consulting