Category Archives: Podcast

Ken flies solo this week to discuss perplexing issues about the effectiveness of a solid emergency response plan. He reviews exercises and drills, and discusses how signing a check doesn’t absolute liability regarding third party vendors and how they represent an organization during crisis.

Ken and Larry continue the conversation from Episode 9, with Larry recalling several more peculiar corporate security and aviation stories from his time serving in the FBI through his tenure at American Airlines to his current position as the head of security for the Dallas Cowboys.

Ken invites longtime friend and colleague Larry Wansley into the studio to reflect on his career in public security which includes his background as a former marine, his experience as an FBI agent and the various accident responses including the 9/11 terror attacks while serving as the Managing Director of Security for American Airlines. Ken and Larry discuss the various aspects of maintaining security in the aftermath of an adverse event.

Ken welcomes former American Airlines Managing Director of Risk and longtime colleague Christa Hinckley into the studio to reflect on her career in disaster litigation and offer insight into the impact of legal proceedings in the wake of a tragedy.

In episode 7 of The Black Box, Ken Jenkins is joined by Lee Taft, an expert in values-driven crisis response and the role of apology in promoting forgiveness in the wake of an adverse event. Ken and Lee discuss liability fears, apology, and airline standards and practices and also examine the delicate line companies walk when bridging legal and humanistic response to errors.

When a disaster occurs, what steps can we take to ensure our emergency response is as effective as possible? Ken welcomes the President of Keppel Aviation Safety Consultants Mike Keppel. Mike is a former American Airlines Manager of Safety and former Director of Emergency Response and Internal Audits for TWA. Mike will share his insight into contemporary Safety Management Systems (SMS) by analyzing the five key components that make up any effective Safety Management System and examining how SMS could be applied to situations such as The Miracle on the Hudson (US Air Flight 1549).

What does it mean for a business to become crisis competent? Having the resources needed to support the organization operations during and following a disaster are the foundation of business continuity. Dr. David Lindstedt, Founder of Readiness Analytics and co-author of “Adaptive Business Continuity” joins Ken for Episode 5 to explore how a business continuity plan can strengthen an organizations emergency response plan.

In episode 4, Ken shifts into the role of interviewee as he delves into his past to share about his professional experience at American Airlines, his role in Emergency Response Management, and his most notable experiences both on and off the tarmac.

In episode 3, Ken discusses the twenty-year milestone since the passage and implementation of the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 (Act). Ken assesses the evolution of aviation disaster family assistance highlighting instances pre-and post-legislation. Jennifer Stansberry Miller, family advocate, who is Founder and President of Connections, A Disaster Resource Consortium, joins Ken on the show. They discuss the aftermath her family experienced following the death of her brother on American Eagle Flight 4184 (October 31, 1994, Roselawn Indiana) and how she became a critical contributor to the Act.