Airport Experience® News - Conference Issue 2026

DAY 2 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23 (CONTINUED)

Session 1: Women In Leadership Panel

Welcome Address:

Lisa Leyva, Vice President Concessions, Nashville International Airport

Moderator:

Melissa K. Montes, Vice President and Publisher, Airport Experience News

Panelists:

Laura E. FitzRandolph, Chief People & Culture Officer, Avolta Cynthia Guidry, Director, Long Beach Airport Alea LaRocque, Vice President, Business Development, WHSmith North America Isabella Rhawie, Vice President, Commercial Revenue Officer, Metropolitan Airports Commission Title Sponsor: SSP America Event Sponsors: The AVE Group, Be Relax,The Coffee Bean &Tea Leaf, Faber Coe & Gregg, Inc., Half Moon Empanadas, Strategy Maven,Tandem Creative Outstanding Woman In Leadership Awards Sponsored by: Minute Suites

Welcome Breakfast and Networking Sponsored by: The Grove Coffee Sponsored by: The Coffee Bean &Tea Leaf

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Tennessee Ballroom Foyer

Welcome & Opening Remarks Melissa K. Montes, Vice President & Publisher, Airport Experience News Nikki Tinsley Harland, CEO, Concessions International, LLC Doug Kreulen, President and CEO, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority

9: 45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Tennessee Ballroom

General Session Room Sponsored by: Concessions International, LLC

Session 2: Keynote Address Keynote Speaker: Simon Anderson, Applied Foresight Speaker and Executive Advisor, Venture Foresight LLC Resilience is bouncing back. In an era of AI and constant change, the real benefit is learning how to spot what is emerging early and act on it with confidence. From operations to passenger experience, small signals become major impacts faster than most leaders expect. In this opening keynote, Simon translates fast-moving tech developments into clear, practical guidance. You will learn the Future Ready Formula™, a simple three-step approach to prepare for change, use Strategic Unlearning to challenge outdated assumptions, and apply five actions you can start today to turn uncertainty into opportunity. Attendees leave with sharper questions, clearer priorities, and a concrete framework to Be Future Ready™.

10:00 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. Tennessee Ballroom

Keynote Address Sponsored by: Mission Yogurt General Session Room Sponsored by: Concessions International, LLC

Session 3: Navigating Tariffs, Costs and Uncertainty: Smarter Design and Construction Strategies Navigating airport concessions buildouts has always been complex, but today’s environment of rising and unpredictable tariffs, escalating labor and material costs, and overall economic uncertainty raises the stakes even higher. Learn from industry experts how design and construction practices are evolving to meet traveler expectations, control costs, and maximize return on investment, all while leveraging the latest high-impact innovations.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Tennessee Ballroom

General Session Room Sponsored by: Concessions International, LLC

Moderator:

Courtney Thornton, Esquire

Panelists:

Christopher Asaro, President, Holt Construction Michele Larimer, Director of Projects and Partner, Silhouette Design Architecture Roderick McOwan, Chief Development Officer, WHSmith North America

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AX NEWS MARCH 2026