HPU President Nido Qubein Learns More About JetZero Co-Founder During Wyndham Breakfast
HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 7, 2025 – High Point University President Nido Qubein sat down with JetZero Co-Founder and CEO Tom O’Leary on July 31 for an in-depth conversation during the annual Wyndham Champions Breakfast inside the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center.
More than 300 top business leaders and community members listened as Qubein asked O’Leary about his decision to launch JetZero only a few years ago and how he quickly turned the startup company into a major player in the aviation industry. Their conversation came less than two months after JetZero announced its plans to open a $4.7 billion facility not far from HPU’s campus in Greensboro, North Carolina.
JetZero’s decision to move its headquarters and manufacturing to Greensboro will provide an economic boost for the Piedmont Triad region and offer new opportunities for HPU graduates. JetZero expects to bring more than 14,500 jobs to the region.
“Institutions must graduate ready-to-work-and-produce students who can make these companies successful,” Qubein said. “At High Point University, we work every day at making sure that our students enter the hallways to learn, exit the hallways to serve and help these companies to grow, prosper and create economic impact.”
Data collected by HPU in accordance with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards shows an overall placement rate of 99.2% for all graduates in the Class of 2024. HPU’s percentage of 2024 graduates who were employed or furthering their education within 180 days of graduation is 14 points higher than the national average reported by NACE.
“When you come to North Carolina and have a whole community and a visionary like Kevin Baker (executive director of Piedmont Triad International Airport), it made it easy for us to make a decision about where to locate,” O’Leary said. “There is so much planning and so much vision. It’s amazing what you have here, and we’re very excited to participate.”
