Bernard Ozarowski, 39, is president of Pixis Drones. He's based in Alexandria, Va. A quote from his nomination: "In his time at Pixis Drones, Bernard has spearheaded partnerships with a number of major brands including Netflix, NBA, Formula 1, King/Candy Crush, Stella and Chewy’s pet food, and, most recently, the city of New York to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop."
What my day-to-day looks like: "I am an early riser and spend the first part of the day focusing on email and operations that are essential to put on best-in-class drone shows. From there, we spend time on calls and connecting with new and current clients. On days that we have a show, we will be on site setting up drones and dealing with the overall execution. My role here certainly requires a good deal of travel, but I love being on site with our team and seeing our shows come to life."
My career journey: "After over a decade at a leading Park Avenue litigation firm, I transitioned into marketing technology to exercise my passion as a creator. I specialize in international and domestic growth strategy, pursuing innovative brand partnerships and leading business development initiatives.
Shortly after joining Pixis Drones as chief business development strategist, I quickly moved into an executive role, leading the organization and serving as its acting president. Under my leadership, I have redesigned the core capabilities of the business and established notable partnerships, including a unique public-private partnership with the City of New York, where I worked with the mayor’s office to help craft guidelines for responsible drone usage in New York City.
"As a lifelong fan of the music and culture, seeing Notorious B.I.G.'s crown high in the sky next to the Brooklyn Bridge was a once-in-a-lifetime moment," Ozarowski says of producing a drone show for a 50 years of hip-hop celebration in New York.Photo: Courtesy of Pixis Drones
My background in law has only further enhanced my navigation of the complexities of drone usage, where I serve as a subject matter expert in the industry. I also spent nearly a decade as an adjunct professor at my law school alma mater, Fordham."
What inspires me: "I love that I get to do a job that my kids think is cool. Whenever we get to put on a drone show, I think about their reaction and how much wonder these events bring to the audience."
My greatest career accomplishment: "Having worked diligently to get drone shows approved for flight in the city of New York, then seeing all of that effort pay off with a series of unique shows celebrating 50 years of hip-hop. As a lifelong fan of the music and culture, seeing Notorious B.I.G.'s crown high in the sky next to the Brooklyn Bridge was a once-in-a-lifetime moment."
Ozarowski cites a recent drone show in Miami for the Dolphins and Monday Night Football as his most memorable event to date.Photo: Courtesy of Pixis Drones
My most memorable event: "Our recent drone show in Miami for the Dolphins and Monday Night Football was easily my most memorable. Creatively, it was one of most eye-popping shows we have produced. It was a true team effort with great partners and the opportunity to give football fans something truly special."
The advice I would give my younger self: "My best advice to anyone would be to work on listening skills. Don't be a know-it-all, and take the time to hear outside opinions and perspectives."
Impressive stats I'm responsible for: "Pixis Drones has done more premium shows for brands and events than any other provider in the U.S. Since I was named president in August 2023, we completed more high-end shows than in the rest of the lifetime of the company since our launch in late 2021. I only get to say I'm 'responsible' for that success because I'm lucky to have a tremendous team to sell and execute our shows."
A time I averted a complete event disaster: "At our NASCAR activation at the LA Coliseum in December, the launch space was significantly smaller than we would usually have to deploy that number of drones. Safety is always our first priority, and we worked with our team to develop an entirely new type of launch grid at the site.
This ensured the safety of fans at the event and allowed for the best possible experience with a higher number of drones flying directly over the famous LA Coliseum façade. Naturally, stress levels were high, but the professionalism and innovative thinking from our team allowed the show to run perfectly. I think the key to mitigating operational stress is to ensure open, honest, and direct communication to make certain each member of the team feels comfortable raising and addressing any potential issues."
