Greg Hawkins is Director of Aircraft Charters and U.S. Air Cargo Sales and Marketing for UPS Airlines. Greg started his career at UPS as a part-time employee while attending college. Since then, he has served in various roles, including air operations, customer service, air network planning, air cargo sales, postal operations and aircraft charters. Greg is based at the airline headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.  

How did you get into airfreight/logistics? 

I was fortunate enough to start as a part-time employee with UPS Airlines while going to college and it turned into a career.  From my first moment working around our aircraft, I was hooked. With a career spanning 38 years and counting, I’ve benefited from working with great partners and customers around the world.

What quote has most resonated with you? 

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”x

— Henry Ford

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? My Dad would always tell me that you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Act accordingly. That’s been the best advice in an industry where success with customers depends on listening to them.

What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done? 

Whitewater rafting the Upper Gauley River in West Virginia. I fell out in the middle of the rapids and came up under the boat. It was quite a scare at the time, but it’s a great memory now!

If you could have dinner with any three people,  living or dead, who would it be and why? 

In no particular order, I would pick Benjamin Franklin, who was multi-talented. He was a statesman, inventor and writer. Abraham Lincoln would also be phenomenal. He spent much of his childhood in Kentucky, my home state, and had a gift for connecting with other people.  Lastly, and most importantly to my career, Jim Casey who founded American Messenger Company, which he later renamed United Parcel Service (now UPS). He started that little business in 1907 on a just a $100 loan, which became the foundation for what the shipping industry is today.  

What’s something we wouldn’t know about you from your CV? 

During the pandemic, I obtained a graduate certificate in Distilled Spirits Business.  Living close to Bardstown, Kentucky, the bourbon capital of the world, I’m passionate about America’s native spirit. I bet you didn’t know that approximately 95% of the world’s bourbon is distilled and aged in Kentucky. 

What hobby have you always wanted to try but never got around to?

Pickleball has piqued my interest.  It seems everyone is playing the game right now. However, I don’t know if my knees will give me permission to try it.

If you have not pursued a career in airfreight, what other field would you have liked to go into? 

The aviation field is in my blood. I would have definitely been a pilot or an aircraft mechanic. 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? 

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say I’d fly. Lucky for me, I get to work for a company that does that every day!     

What’s your proudest moment and your biggest regret? My proudest moment was receiving the rank of Eagle Scout when I was 17. I don’t really have regrets. 

If there was a movie made about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role? 

Jason Statham, if only because we have the same hairline!

Looking back over your career, what would your message be to someone considering a career in logistics? 

Be willing to dig deeper…success depends on understanding the customer (and sometimes their customer), the process, and the providers.  It’s never the same day twice.

How do you motivate your team? 

UPS Founder Jim Casey was fond of saying “determined people, working together, can accomplish anything.”  We understand the why of our work and what each person’s role is, and celebrate each other’s success. 

What is the one item you can’t travel without?

My watch!  It goes with me everywhere, even when I don’t have a phone.

Who is your role model?

My dad taught me to be the best person I can be, every day. 

What would your autobiography be called?

“Be Prepared…using the Boy Scout laws in every day life”

Cats or dogs?

I’m a dog person.  I’ve had at least one, sometimes more, in my life for the last 30 years. They’ve all been rescue dogs from shelters.

Early riser or night owl? 

I’m a night owl. My first job at UPS was in the middle of the night and it’s stuck with me. 

What’s the best and worst purchase you’ve ever made? Best purchase would be a vacation to Europe visiting family we had never met before in person.  Worst purchase would be any trip that we meant to take but haven’t gotten around to (yet).

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I wish I could have my mom’s “no-bake” cookies for every meal.

What’s your most used emoji? 

Any emoji is one too many. I value human connections and would much prefer to talk on the phone or in person.