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One of the demanding roles in airport operations is the towing and recovery work required after an aircraft incident or runway miscalculation. Another challenging responsibility is maintaining runways, airports, and aircraft under various conditions. At Chicago Executive Airport (CEA), Fries Automotive of Prospect Heights, founded by Paul and Karen Fries, has been fulfilling these roles for over half a century.
Paul Fries is recognized as a significant figure at the CEA. "Paul is our Guardian Angel who ensures this airport successfully recovers from aircraft incidents quickly and gets his team to return this airport back to operational status promptly," states Andrew Wolanik, the airport's Director of Operations and Maintenance. Wolanik adds, "Not to mention he has done tremendous maintenance work on our snow removal and other vehicles over the years. He has the experience to get us through the toughest of problems."
Fries' interest in aviation began in childhood when he visited his father, an instructor at Peter O. Knight airport in Tampa, Florida. His grandfather, an aviation engineer, further fueled his passion. After high school, Fries served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army in an armor unit. Upon returning to Illinois, he entered the automotive equipment sales industry, eventually acquiring two Shell franchises.
