Business
Business

CEO says college grads are ‘worst’ people for one crucial job

By Matt Kempner
June 8, 2016

Security checkpoints at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport could get another big test in the next few days, with nearly as many daily passengers expected as during the Thanksgiving rush.

Which makes it a good time to consider the advice of a CEO who once led the biggest airport screening company in the nation.

For starters, he wouldn’t hire college grads to monitor security x-ray machines.

Explore“They are the worst possible screeners on Earth,” said Frank Argenbright, whose former Atlanta-based company provided screening at 182 airports prior to 9/11.

The perfect screener, according to researchers he worked with: A high school graduate who is comfortable with repetitive tasks.

ExploreFind out more in the latest Unofficial Business column on myAJC.com.

About the Author

Matt Kempner is an award-winning journalist who seeks out intriguing twists about people and subjects beyond what the AJC might typically cover. A former columnist and editor, his past assignments have included business investigations, energy, the economy, entrepreneurs, big business, consumer spending, politics, government and the environment.

Follow Matt Kempner on facebookFollow Matt Kempner on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Georgia and Florida wildlife officials work to disentangle right whale No. 5217, called Division, off St. Simons Island on Dec. 4. (Courtesy o Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute)

Credit: Special

Two-day effort helps free endangered right whale off Georgia coast

Georgia state officials helped disentangle a North American right whale, one of the most endangered whales on the planet.

Centennial Yards’ rise heralds a new downtown Atlanta

The $5 billion Centennial Yards project is rising within the 50-acre hole long known as the Gulch, an area once thought to be too complex to ever be developed.

That low car payment could cost you more in the long run. A lot more.

About a quarter of all car loans now run longer than 72 months, according to Cox Automotive data.

The Latest

Ultralong 84-month loans make new cars look budget-friendly. The real price shows up in interest and negative equity. (David Guralnick/The Detroit News/TNS)

Credit: TNS

That low car payment could cost you more in the long run. A lot more.

OPINION

Nissan’s e-Power: An EV driving experience, fueled by gas

OPINION

December car sales are good but not magic

Featured

Students line up after school for school buses at Sequoyah Middle School in Doraville on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. The school’s principal told teachers not to talk to students about ICE, and teachers and activists are pushing back. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

DeKalb students raise fears about ICE raids; teachers told not to talk about it

The Sequoyah Middle School community asked DeKalb school officials to better support students who fear ICE.

Two-day effort helps free endangered right whale off Georgia coast

Georgia state officials helped disentangle a North American right whale, one of the most endangered whales on the planet.

Report: Election board member violated conduct code by going to Trump rally

A Georgia Inspector General's report found State Election Board Vice Chair Janice Johnston violated the board's code of conduct by attending a Donald Trump campaign rally.