Target flies from Virginia to Columbus on the eve of its annual meeting

Target's Gulfstream G280, tail number N484EM, departed New River Valley Airport in Virginia on June 9, touching down at John Glenn Columbus International Airport after a 43-minute hop. The short flight, covering 36,000 feet at over 430 knots, brought the retailer's executives from the university town of Blacksburg to the Ohio capital.

The trip lands the same week Target faces a shareholder challenge at its annual general meeting on June 10. A labor-affiliated investor group, SOC Investment Group, is urging shareholders to vote against former CEO Brian Cornell and lead director Christine Leahy, citing strategic missteps and financial losses, per a notice filed with the SEC [finance.yahoo.com](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/labor-backed-investor-group-urges-144813584.html). The company, now led by CEO Michael Fiddelke, posted stronger-than-expected first-quarter earnings last month [cnbc.com](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/20/target-tgt-q1-2026-earnings.html), but the activist pressure highlights ongoing governance tensions.

The Columbus stop is not among Target's typical recurring destinations like Chicago or Houston, but the company operates dozens of stores in Ohio. The flight may signal a routine site visit or a regional meeting, part of the relentless boardroom rhythm as the retailer navigates a post-Cornell era and a $5 billion capital investment push announced in March, per [celebplanes.com](https://www.celebplanes.com/articles/target-flight-723).