James Warren Griner Jr.
Clearwater,FL
Summary
Experienced aviation leader with strong focus on air traffic management. Proven ability to coordinate and direct air traffic operations, ensuring safety and efficiency. Adept at team collaboration, adapting to changing needs, and achieving operational goals. Skilled in communication, problem-solving, and decision-making under pressure. Known for reliability and delivering consistent results.
Overview
45
45
years of professional experience
Work History
Air Traffic Manager
Robinson Aviation
Gulf Shores, AL, USA
09.2021 - 10.2025
- Air Traffic Manager at Gulf Shores FCT. While operating as the 2nd busiest tower in Alabama we trained 14 controllers through attrition due to pay, workload, complexity, and losses to FAA employment.
Air Traffic Manager
Robinson Aviation
Key West, FL, USA
06.2017 - 09.2021
- Air Traffic Manager during the recovery of the Keys from Hurricane Irma while Key West became the busiest FCT for air carrier operations in the Continental U.S.
Air Traffic Controller
Robinson Aviation
Key West, FL, USA
08.2015 - 06.2017
- Air Traffic Controller provided VFR tower service to air carrier, IFR/VFR corporate, military, and civilian transient traffic and to local fixed wing and rotary tour aircraft.
Air Traffic Controller
Middle Georgia State University
Eastman, GA, USA
10.2013 - 08.2015
- Air Traffic Controller providing VFR tower Class Delta services to a flight school fleet, itinerant civilian and military fixed wing/rotary aircraft.
Air Traffic Controller
IAP Worldwide Services
Jalalabad, Afghanistan
08.2013 - 09.2013
- Air Traffic Controller at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Jalalabad, Afghanistan, providing VFR tower services to military and civilian fixed wing, rotary, and UAV aircraft.
Air Traffic Controller
Dyncorp International
Helmand Province, Afghanistan
11.2012 - 08.2013
- Air Traffic Controller at Forward Operating Base Dwyer, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, providing VFR tower services to military and civilian fixed wing, rotary, and UAV aircraft.
Air Traffic Control specialist
Midwest ATC
Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
11.2011 - 02.2012
- Air Traffic Control specialist at Kandahar Airfield Tower (KAF), Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.
Air traffic controller
ITT Mission Systems
Khost Province, Afghanistan
04.2011 - 06.2011
- Air traffic controller in VFR tower located at FOB Salerno, Khost Province, Afghanistan, involving VFR contingency operations by fixed wing, rotary, and UAV aircraft.
Professional Training Specialist
Lockheed Martin Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS)
St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, USA
07.2007 - 02.2010
- Served as professional Training Specialist under contract through Washington Consulting Group for the administration of the training program for 65 ATC Specialists at the Lockheed Martin AFSS.
Certified Professional Controller
St. Petersburg Air Traffic Control Tower
Clearwater, FL, USA
07.1995 - 07.2007
- Performed collateral duties as facility training specialist for approximately 12 VFR tower controllers.
- Served as Certified Professional Controller at an ATC-7 limited radar approach control/VFR Tower.
- Performed clearance delivery, flight data, ground control and local control duties in addition to the radar approach control functions delegated to the tower from Tampa Approach Control in accordance with a Letter of Agreement.
- The facility operation regularly involved the following activities:
- Air carrier arrivals and departures
- Heavy jet separation
- C-130 and HH-60 operations of the nation’s largest Coast Guard Air Station (Clearwater)
- Simultaneous Operations on Intersecting Runways
- Intersection departures
- Land and Hold Short Operations (LAHSO)
- Local and transient jet traffic, both civilian and military
- Parallel runways for daytime VFR use by small aircraft
- Delta airspace and designated Bravo airspace operations IAW Letters of Agreement with Tampa Approach Control
- Fixed wing and rotary pilot training
- Conducted off-site pilot forums by invitation at various accident prevention meetings and flight schools.
- (RETIRED FROM FAA AT END OF THIS EMPLOYMENT PERIOD)
Support Training Specialist
St. Petersburg Automated Flight Service Station
Clearwater, FL, USA
07.1988 - 07.1995
- Served 4 years as Support Training Specialist for facility of approximately 75 specialists.
- Trained influx of 13 additional specialists and 2 supervisors reassigned to St. Petersburg during period when Miami AFSS was disabled by Hurricane Andrew.
- Administered training in all facets of Flight Service Automation System (Model 1 Full Capacity, Remote Radar Weather Display (RRWDS), Kavouras radar weather displays, Area Knowledge, and Direction Finding Simulator).
- Conducted off-site on-the-job training instructor (OJTI) classes at other ATC facilities
- Presented pilot forums at various Flight Schools.
Flight Service Specialist
Paducah Flight Service Station
Paducah, KY, USA
02.1983 - 07.1988
- Administered preflight weather briefing to pilots
- Performed official weather observations for Paducah, KY as certified by the National Weather Service
- Relayed air traffic control clearances from ARTCC to pilots
- Delivered in-flight weather briefings
- Accepted, verified and processed flight plans
- Initiated emergency procedures for aircraft in distress
- Initiated procedures for finding overdue aircraft in accordance with the National Search and Rescue Plan.
Flight Data/Clearance Delivery
Memphis Tower
Memphis, TN, USA
01.1982 - 02.1983
- Qualified in Flight Data/Clearance Delivery
- Received, marked, and posted proposed departure flight strips as appropriate
- Issued IFR clearances in accordance with standard and local directives
- Ensured flight plan accuracy for ATC computer acceptance
- Updated Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) broadcasts hourly
- Qualified in Ground Control position.
- Controlling taxiing aircraft of all types to ensure safe efficient flow of complex ground traffic.
- Responsible for correct sequencing of departing aircraft prior to takeoff.
- Performed crash phone checks.
Flight Service Specialist
Jackson Flight Service Station
Jackson, TN, USA
09.1980 - 01.1982
- Flight Service Specialist – See description for Paducah FSS above
Certified non-radar controller
Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center
Memphis, TN, USA
09.1980 - 06.1977
- Progressed to the level of certified non-radar controller (D-side) in all high and low sectors of South area of specialization
- Assisted radar controllers in preplanning to avoid conflicts between high performance aircraft at random, airway, and jet route intersections.
- Issued instructions to other controllers and made computer entries to coordinate such advance clearance and light plan changes to prevent mid-air collisions and/or loss of prescribed separation.
- Accepted, verified, and entered flight plans from aircraft in flight into the National Airspace System
- Coordinated and issued non-radar IFR clearances to aircraft for departure from satellite airports.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Nonradar, Radar, Quality Assurance, OJT Instructor
FAA ACADEMY
Oklahoma City, OK, USAundefined
U.S. Air Force
Keesler AFB, MS, USABachelor of Science Degree - Chemical Engineering
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC, USA06-1977
Skills
- Air traffic regulations
- Situational awareness
- Navigation systems
- Airspace management
- FAA regulations
- Aircraft emergency reports
- National security regulations
- Relaying critical information
- Close control coordination
- Continuous surveillance
Timeline
Air Traffic Manager
Robinson Aviation
09.2021 - 10.2025
Air Traffic Manager
Robinson Aviation
06.2017 - 09.2021
Air Traffic Controller
Robinson Aviation
08.2015 - 06.2017
Air Traffic Controller
Middle Georgia State University
10.2013 - 08.2015
Air Traffic Controller
IAP Worldwide Services
08.2013 - 09.2013
Air Traffic Controller
Dyncorp International
11.2012 - 08.2013
Air Traffic Control specialist
Midwest ATC
11.2011 - 02.2012
Air traffic controller
ITT Mission Systems
04.2011 - 06.2011
Professional Training Specialist
Lockheed Martin Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS)
07.2007 - 02.2010
Certified Professional Controller
St. Petersburg Air Traffic Control Tower
07.1995 - 07.2007
Support Training Specialist
St. Petersburg Automated Flight Service Station
07.1988 - 07.1995
Flight Service Specialist
Paducah Flight Service Station
02.1983 - 07.1988
Flight Data/Clearance Delivery
Memphis Tower
01.1982 - 02.1983
Flight Service Specialist
Jackson Flight Service Station
09.1980 - 01.1982
Certified non-radar controller
Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center
09.1980 - 06.1977
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U.S. Air Force
Bachelor of Science Degree - Chemical Engineering
University of South Carolina
Bachelor of Science - Nonradar, Radar, Quality Assurance, OJT Instructor
FAA ACADEMY
MILITARY SERVICE
- South Carolina Air National Guard
- McEntire Air National Guard Base- Mobile GCA, Sept. 76 – June 77.
- U.S. Air Force
- Martinsburg, WV, Municipal Airport- USAF VFR Control Tower, Nov. 74 – Aug. 76
- Korat RTAFB, Thailand, - USAF Mobile Radar Approach Control (RAPCON) Nov. 73 – Nov. 74
- Myrtle Beach AFB, Myrtle Beach, SC – USAF Mobile RAPCON, Feb. 72 – Oct .73
ATCA Outstanding Air Traffic Manager 2018Air Traffic Manager
Radio Control Model Aircraft
Civil Air Patrol (CAP)