Paul Puopolo
Paul Puopolo serves as the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. He leads DFW’s Innovation, Enterprise Data & Analytics, and Technology functions to identify, assess, and drive the collaborative development of new solutions and business models to create new growth and competitive advantage.
Puopolo is an experienced “intrapreneur” with multi-industry innovation, emerging technology, and direct to consumer background. Throughout his 19-year innovation career he has built and led corporate innovation teams within the healthcare, financial services and airport industries. In these roles he was accountable for developing business innovation strategies and portfolios to increase profitable growth, improving the consumer experience, and championing an innovative culture.
Since joining DFW, he and his team have received the 2021 Future Travel Experience Transportation Power List Outstanding Achievement Award; the 2022 & 2024 Innovation Leader Impact Award; the 2023 & 2025 Future Travel Experience Pioneer Award; and the 2024 Product Development & Management Association’s Outstanding Corporate Innovator Award.
Puopolo served as an active duty officer and pilot in the U.S. Navy (retiring after 22 years of service) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Villanova University and a Master’s degree in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School.
ArticlePeople, platforms and predictive operations: inside DFW’s O&M transformation
International Airport Summit speaker Paul Puopolo, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, EVP Innovation, Insights, and Technology at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport explains how DFW is putting AI to work in operations and maintenance.