Employee Spotlight - Aimee Pidgeon
(July 21, 2016) Growing up, Aimee Pidgeon had aspirations of becoming a journalist. Her love of writing provided a creative outlet and pushed her to explore careers where she could express herself. She loved the idea of developing her talent to become part of an Advertising and Marketing team. 
As life does, it took a different route and a few years after high school, Aimee decided to join the U.S. Army in hopes it would provide a good chance to explore other options. An injury shortened her military journey, but led her to an unexpectedly long career in law enforcement.
Prior to working at the Tampa International Airport, Aimee spent 13 years with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. During her tenure, she was in charge of multiple projects to include compliance with state and national accreditation management, records and budget management, property management and training. She was able to tap into her creative side publishing a department newsletter and creating a public web page for detention officer recruitment, as well as video images and voice over writing for a recruitment campaign, which aired on the WB network.
Aimee earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology from the University of South Florida in 2012, which led her to the Airport Police Department where she had been the past 3 years. Her role as a Public Safety Administration Manager within the APD helped to expand her knowledge of budget and compliance management. She also handled several other projects that always kept her “going at 100 miles an hour,” she said.
This was perfect environment for her, she said, because “I thrive on keeping a fast pace and always handling new and challenging projects.”
“I love being a part of a team where I can help improve processes,” Aimee said. “I’m passionate about the work that I do and it’s important to me to be a part of something great!”
Continuing on her creative path, Aimee also published the department’s monthly and annual newsletters. Just in the last year, she received recognition for the successful completion of the APD’s fourth accreditation award from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in November 2015.
This past May, Aimee took on a new role as the Operations Administration Manager, working under Director of Operations Lloyd Tillmann.
“After 15 years in law enforcement, it’s like starting a completely new career,” Aimee said. “I know I have a lot to learn. Aviation is a whole different world than law enforcement, but I’m up for the challenge.”
Aimee manages the department’s calendar and the student internship portion of the Airport Management Internship Program. She sits on planning committees for the 2017 National College Championship football game and the 2018 Florida Airports Council (FAC) Conference, as well as completing various other duties. To help her gain knowledge within the aviation field, she reads publications which focus on aviation operations and management.
Born in New Bedford, Mass., Aimee’s family moved to the Brandon/Riverview area when she was 7 years old. She always had an active interest in sports, playing soccer and softball, and even spent a couple years on the high school dance team.
Aimee lives with her husband, Rich, in the Brandon area, where the two recently bought a new home. As huge sports fans, they have season tickets to the Tampa Bay Lightning and often travel to watch Florida State University football games. The couple likes to plan “mini-vacations” around sporting events. Aimee also loves shopping, reading and the beach.
“Any place on the water is therapeutic to me,” she said.
Her next personal goal is to get her Master’s degree in either business or public administration.
“I do see myself here at Tampa International Airport for the rest of my career,” Aimee said. “So I’d like to learn everything I can and advance along the way.”