4/24/2026 Debra Levey Larson
Grant Kramer: Airline strategist, marathon enthusiast and 2026 Outstanding Recent Alumni built a team of 12 at United Airlines in just 4 years and has delivered millions of dollars in cost savings.
Written by Debra Levey Larson
Grant Kramer leads an international team responsible for tracking the location, health, and lifecycle of United Airlines’ aircraft engines and auxiliary power units, one of the most critical and complex operations behind the airline’s global network. With just 10 years since earning his Bachelor of Science degree from The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Kramer is receiving the Department of Aerospace Engineering’s 2026 Outstanding Recent Alumni award.
With a fleet of more than 1,100 mainline aircraft, and over 2,200 engines, plus spares, Kramer’s role carries significant operational and financial impact. Through strategic maintenance planning and optimization, Kramer and his team have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings.
“We have the largest fleet in the world by aircraft count,” Kramer said. “That’s why this work is so critical and closely followed by leadership. The decisions we make can significantly impact the business.”
In just four years, Kramer has grown his team from a few individuals to a global organization of 12, based across Chicago’s Willis Tower headquarters, United’s engine shop in San Francisco, and an office in Delhi, India. This global footprint enables continuous 24/7 operations across time zones, something Kramer actively supports through frequent in-person engagement.
His team operates across two core areas: strategy and systems. The strategy group forecasts engine and life-limited part needs years ahead, while the systems team leverages engine data to develop analytical tools that inform critical business decisions.
Kramer’s career began after graduating from Illinois in 2016, when he joined Rolls-Royce under the leadership of Dan Jensen, B.S. ’88. His work took him from Indianapolis to Reston, Virginia, where he met his wife, and later to Savannah, Georgia. Drawn to the intersection of engineering and business strategy, and the opportunity to be closer to family, Kramer eventually made the move to United.
Aviation has long been part of his life. With a mother who worked as a flight attendant, Kramer developed an early passion for flying—earning his private pilot’s license and spending weekends on flight simulators rather than video games.
Today, that passion continues through both his career and personal life. His wife also works at United, leading marketing and communications for the cargo division, and the couple frequently travels to France to visit her family.
Outside of work, Kramer channels his energy into running—combining his love for travel with a personal goal to complete a half marathon in every U.S. state and on every continent.
“I enjoy running, but I wanted to make it more meaningful,” he said. “So, I turned it into a way to explore the world.”
So far, he has completed races in 18 states and across three continents, including standout experiences in Patagonia and Switzerland.
Reflecting on his journey, Kramer credits his success to the diverse experiences that helped shape his career path.
“When I graduated, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do,” he said. “It was through these experiences that I found my direction and what I truly enjoy within the industry.”