Paslay Group Merges with Trifiletti, Diversifying Beyond Aviation

FORT WORTH, Texas – April 30, 2026 – Paslay Group, a prominent Fort Worth-based consulting firm known for its dominance in the aviation sector, has announced a strategic merger with Trifiletti Consulting, Inc., a highly-regarded Los Angeles strategic advisory firm. The move signals a significant expansion of Paslay Group's capabilities beyond airports and marks a major push into the complex and lucrative Southern California infrastructure market.

This merger comes just one month after Paslay Group joined forces with Unison Consulting, Inc., an airport financial and concessions strategy firm. The back-to-back acquisitions rapidly transform the 20-year-old company from a niche airport specialist into a diversified program management powerhouse, now employing over 150 professionals and poised to compete on a broader stage.

A Strategic Pivot to Diversification

For two decades, Paslay Group has built its reputation on managing massive airport capital programs, overseeing $51.7 billion in projects across 50 U.S. airports since its founding in 2006. The firm’s proprietary Executive Program Management model, which received a registered trademark in 2025, has become a standard for complex aviation developments. However, these recent mergers signal a deliberate and aggressive pivot toward a more comprehensive service model.

The acquisition of Trifiletti Consulting is the cornerstone of this diversification strategy. Founded in 2016 by Lisa Trifiletti, the LA-based firm brings deep expertise in non-aviation sectors, including transit, education, and municipal government. Its specialties in strategic land use, environmental clearance, project entitlement, and real estate transactions for complex public and private projects provide Paslay Group with immediate entry into new markets.

"The Trifiletti team expands Paslay Group's service beyond the aviation section and strengthens our ties to the Southern California community," said R. Clay Paslay, president and CEO of Paslay Group. "We firmly believe this merging of talent will multiply our combined ability to serve major infrastructure owners and developers and the communities they serve."

This move complements the earlier acquisition of Unison Consulting, which fortified Paslay Group's core aviation business by adding specialized financial, concessions, and data analytics expertise. Together, the mergers represent a calculated "buy-and-build" strategy, assembling a suite of integrated services designed to manage large-scale capital programs from financial conception to physical completion across multiple infrastructure classes.

Deepening Roots in Southern California

The merger does more than just diversify Paslay Group's portfolio; it solidifies its presence in one of the nation's most dynamic and challenging development landscapes. Trifiletti Consulting has spent nearly a decade becoming an influential force in Southern California, skillfully navigating the region's intricate political and regulatory environments to advance high-profile projects.

A prime example of the firm's impact is its role as Program Manager for the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) project. Trifiletti Consulting is leading the overall development and implementation of the innovative 1.6-mile automated transit system that will link the regional rail network to SoFi Stadium and the city's burgeoning entertainment and employment hub. The firm’s ability to align diverse stakeholders and manage complex entitlements has been critical to the project's progress.

Lisa Trifiletti, who will continue to lead the Trifiletti team as a Paslay Group company, has a long-standing history with major regional projects. Prior to launching her firm, she was instrumental in the success of the LAX Modernization Program during her tenure as Deputy Executive Director at Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). Her relationship with Paslay Group's leadership dates back more than 15 years to their shared work at LAX.

"I have long respected their disciplined, executive-level approach to program delivery," said Trifiletti. "I am enormously proud that Trifiletti Consulting has built a reputation for trusted advisory services, thoughtful problem-solving, and delivering results on complex, high-stakes projects. This partnership reflects a strong alignment in values and enhances our ability to bring strategic, integrated solutions to our clients."

Reshaping the Competitive Landscape

By integrating the specialized expertise of Trifiletti and Unison, Paslay Group is repositioning itself within the competitive consulting landscape. The firm is evolving from a highly respected niche player into a formidable competitor for larger, more generalized engineering and consulting giants like AECOM and Jacobs. The key differentiator, the company wagers, will be its ability to offer the scale and breadth of a larger firm while retaining the focused, high-touch service of its Executive Program Management® model.

This model, created by Clay Paslay and introduced to the airport industry in 2007, emphasizes small, senior-level teams that embed within a client's organization to provide strategic leadership. The challenge and opportunity now lie in applying this trademarked approach to the new sectors Trifiletti Consulting opens up, from managing municipal transit projects to advising on complex real estate entitlements and public-private partnerships.

The combined entity’s portfolio is impressive. Paslay Group has recently helped deliver billion-dollar terminal programs at airports in Kansas City, Nashville, and Pittsburgh. Trifiletti Consulting’s client list includes LA Metro, the Port of Los Angeles, Hollywood Burbank Airport, the County of Los Angeles, and educational institutions like Occidental College, showcasing its deep regional integration.

This fusion of aviation program management, regional infrastructure expertise, and financial strategy creates a unique value proposition. It allows the firm to offer a holistic, end-to-end solution for infrastructure owners, covering everything from initial financial feasibility and environmental clearance to project delivery and operational readiness.

Navigating a Booming Infrastructure Market

Paslay Group's strategic expansion is exceptionally well-timed. The moves come as the United States and nations worldwide are on the cusp of an unprecedented infrastructure investment cycle, driven by the need to modernize aging systems, accommodate urban growth, and build resiliently for the future. With trillions of dollars projected to be spent on transport, energy, and digital infrastructure over the coming decades, the demand for sophisticated program management is set to soar.

The newly expanded Paslay Group is now structured to capitalize on this boom across multiple fronts. With its legacy aviation practice enhanced by Unison's financial acumen, it remains a leader in the airport sector. Simultaneously, through Trifiletti Consulting's expertise, it is positioned to capture significant opportunities in surface transportation, urban development, and public-private partnership projects, particularly in high-growth regions like Southern California.

The ability to navigate complex regulatory hurdles, manage diverse stakeholder interests, and deliver massive capital projects on schedule and on budget is a rare and valuable commodity. By combining its proven executive management model with deep regional and financial expertise, Paslay Group has strategically rebuilt itself to meet the multifaceted demands of this new era in infrastructure development.