In this episode, George Richardson sits down with Nicola Ciarlante, CEO of Custom America, to explore his dynamic journey from Air Force Crew Chief to executive leader driving innovation in airport and border control technology.

Nicola reflects on his early days maintaining C5 aircraft in the United States Air Force, where his fascination with systems, precision, and operational excellence took flight. That same dedication to technical mastery and leadership later propelled him into the aerospace and manufacturing sectors, where he’s spent over two decades developing cutting-edge printing, scanning, and data capture solutions for mission-critical industries.

As the CEO of Custom America, Nicola leads a company at the forefront of hardware innovation in aviation, retail, and industrial automation. He shares insights into the challenges of balancing digital transformation with operational reliability, and why traditional printing remains indispensable in aviation.

Nicola also discusses the importance of strategic partnerships, the realities of global manufacturing, and how customer-driven innovation continues to shape Custom’s product roadmap. Beyond the boardroom, we hear about Nicola’s passion for motorcycles, highlighted by a memorable moment at Passenger Terminal Expo 2025 in Madrid, where he won a brand-new Ducati Monster in AeroCloud’s giveaway.

From the flight line to the frontline of aviation, Nicola’s story demonstrates how leadership rooted in technical expertise and collaboration can accelerate progress across industries.

Custom America provides professional printing, scanning and data capture solutions for the automation of services to the public and digitalization processes in vertical and specialized markets. Custom America has been a key player in aviation technology for over a decade. The company focuses on hardware development and product marketing in the aviation sector.

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