Daifuku Team Manager Named Top 40 Under 40 for 2023

Throughout his past seven years at Daifuku Airport Technologies, Kyle Kittleson has advanced quickly within the organization, making it no surprise that he recently earned the recognition of the industry’s Top 40 Under 40 in Airport Business.

Kyle joined Daifuku as a College Co-Op Intern in 2016 while attending Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering later that year, Kyle was first hired in a permanent role as a Controls Engineer, then quickly promoted to Lead Controls Engineer for a complex recontrol of the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). His leadership skills at DTW showed a readiness to assume the role of Project Engineer, designing and developing all aspects of the electrical and PLC controls system at multiple airports.

In 2021, Kyle’s efforts merited yet another promotion to Controls Systems Supervisor, a role that allowed him to lead a group of project engineers and multiple projects. He was eager to accept the challenge of learning the new role and showcased his ability to interface successfully with clients and stakeholders. During this time, he also served as a key team member during the successful go-live of the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) New Terminal A baggage handling system.

In 2023, Kyle took another step by accepting a promotion to Engineering Program Manager. In this position, Kyle leads a team of nine Project Engineers, manages the department resources and budget, and engages the Development group to design, build, commission, and test baggage handling systems. He supervises the execution of Daifuku’s East Coast and Midwest projects and works cooperatively with other company managers and departments.

Kyle continues to demonstrate to customers and consultants that he not only has great managerial skills, but technical insight as well. Kyle takes initiative on projects to implement Daifuku’s industry-leading technologies, such as Device Level Ring control, Ethernet I/O, and Automatic Device Configuration to give customers the best value solution for their project specifications. He has also been heavily involved in helping the company and industry define distributed electrical design approaches in baggage handling systems. 

We’re proud to have Kyle on our team and greatly appreciate his contributions to the industry and our customers. Congratulations to Kyle and each of the 2023 winners!