Costa Mesa, California, United States, April 2025 – Barbara Brown has been appointed as the Chief People Officer at Clay Lacy Aviation. In her new role, Barbara will lead the company’s human capital strategy, driving initiatives across employee engagement, culture, leadership development, and workforce planning in alignment with Clay Lacy’s growth trajectory and client-centric service excellence.
Barbara brings more than two decades of deep expertise in HR strategy, operations, and organizational leadership. Most recently, she served for over seven years as Assistant Vice President of Strategic Business Operations at the University of Southern California, where she oversaw strategic initiatives, human capital, and payroll operations. She also led COVID-19 project restart efforts, major concession refresh projects, and labor relations involving 600+ unionized employees.
Prior to that, she held the position of Executive Director of Human Resources and Corporate Sponsorships at USC, where she managed a dual portfolio of HR and revenue-generation responsibilities, securing over $800,000 through partnerships with major brands such as Toyota, Keurig, and Fox Sports.
Barbara also served as Director of Human Resources at Wet Seal, managing HR for over 5,000 associates across retail, corporate, and distribution operations. Earlier in her career, she was Senior HR Manager at Vans, supporting 2,000+ employees and leading people operations during the company’s rapid expansion phase under VF Corporation.
She began her career at Arthur Andersen LLP, where she managed professional training and performance management across multiple regional offices. Barbara holds an Executive MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business and an MBA in Human Resources from the University of Redlands.
About Clay Lacy Aviation
Founded in 1968 by legendary aviator Clay Lacy, the company is widely recognized as the world’s most experienced private jet operator. Clay Lacy Aviation provides premier services including aircraft management, private charter, maintenance, avionics, interiors, and Fixed Base Operations (FBO). Trusted by high-net-worth individuals and leading corporations, the company maintains its reputation for excellence through a relentless focus on safety, personalized service, and innovation.
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