FORT WORTH, TX – Outgoing Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) Chair Bill Vanecek, Director of Aviation at Buffalo Niagara International, turned over the chair position of the ACI-NA Board of Directors to Candace McGraw, CEO of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, during a special reception on Tuesday, September 19, 2017, at the ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Fort Worth, TX.

“ACI-NA remains committed to our mission to advocate policies and provides services that strengthen the ability of airports to serve their passengers, customers and communities,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Under Bill’s leadership, airports have made significant progress in advancing airport priorities in Washington and Ottawa. We appreciate his dedication to our association and the airport industry.”

“Though airports have made recent progress, our work is far from over,” continued Burke.  “As the CEO of one of North America’s highest-rated airports, Candace will bring broad industry expertise and a deep understanding of the unique challenges our industry faces. We look forward to further advancing the airport industry under Candace’s leadership.”

“ACI-NA is the premier trade association representing commercial airports in North America, and I am thrilled to serve the organization as chair,” said McGraw. “Airports and our stakeholders— airlines, government regulators, and community members— are all partners that want the same goal of safe and efficient transit of passengers and goods to grow the economy. During my time as chair, I would like to focus on working collaboratively and collectively with our stakeholders to accomplish shared goals that move the aviation industry forward.”

McGraw will be the first ACI-NA chair to serve for a two year term. She has led the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport as CEO since July 2011. Prior to this role, she held leadership positions at Cleveland Airport System, Cleveland City Council, and the Ohio Lottery Commission.

Lew Bleiweis, Executive Director of The Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority, moved in to the Vice Chair position and Vanecek will now serve as the Immediate Past Chair.

Lance Lyttle, Managing Director of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, was elected to the ACI-NA Board of Directors and Brian Ryks, Executive Director/CEO of Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission, was re-elected to serve for another three-year term.

Elected to the U.S. Policy Council were Ricky Smith, CEO of BWI Marshall Airport, and Jim Gill, President and CEO of Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority.

New leadership of the 2017-2018 ACI-NA World Business Partners/Associates Board of Directors was also announced during at the conference, with Laddie Irion of HNTB Corporation to serve as Chair and Ana Sotorrio of Aviation Strategies & Trade Solutions as Vice Chair.  Other members newly elected include Monica Newhouse-Rodriguez of Newhouse & Associates, Stephen Pelham of Jacobs, and Ben Zandi of Fraport USA.

A complete list of the ACI-NA Board of Directors and leadership is available on the ACI-NA website.