Airport Experience® News - Leadership 2022

2022 LARGE AIRPORTS DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Rhee Wins Over Industry With Infectious Personality, Ability To Get Things Done ENERGYAND HONESTY

BY ANDREW TELL I JOHN

Jamie Rhee’s energy, approachability and honesty are easily apparent to those who have seen her work and know her well. Before returning to the Chicago Department of Aviation, she instituted several improvements to the city’s procurement program, providing more opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses. She’s overseen the completion of the O’Hare Modernization program that replaced intersecting runways with parallel ones, gotten another significant series of infrastructure projects underway at O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and helped usher in significant upgrades at Midway International Airport (MDW) , as well. And she’s done so in an authentic, upfront manner that has made her popular with nearly every constituent with whom she’s crossed paths. Here are the thoughts of several industry, civic and political leaders with whom she has worked.

KEVIN BURKE president and CEO of Airports Council International – North America “If there’s ever a person who had actu ally more energy than me, it would be Jamie. I have a lot of energy, but boy, she puts me to shame. She just has

DICK DURBIN Senator, D-Illinois

“Commi s s i one r Rhee has proven to be an excellent leader, keeping both Midway and O’Hare airports in top shape as they serve as major trans portation hubs. Her experience overseeing the Midway Modern

done an amazing job. She’s in the middle of a huge construc tion project in Chicago. They’ve completed their East-West runway projects there. Now they’re working on the terminal expansions. There’s always something going on in Chicago. Their traffic picked up considerably. She’s viewed as a leader in our industry.”

ization Program and the launch of the O’Hare 21 initia tive, in addition to maintaining airport operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, have more than earned her this year’s title of Director of the Year, Large Airports Division by Airport Experience News. I look forward to continue working alongside Commissioner Rhee to keep our airports some of the best in the country.”

TODD HAUPTLI president and CEO of the American Association of Airport Executives

“She started there when she was in law school as a customer service officer at the airport. She was a foreign language assistant. She speaks many languages. And she goes from a customer service officer to then, after law school and doing some other things, she ends up being the general counsel for their whole O’Hare Modernization Program. And then she goes on to be the chief procurement officer for the city and then comes back as the top dog, the commissioner for the Department of Aviation. I just think that’s a wonderful arc, particularly in Chicago, where if you look at the history of the commissioners, it tends to be a political appointment that lasts 18 months, 24 months and then there is somebody new. She has spanned several mayoral administrations at this point and has decades of service for the city of Chicago and the Department of Aviation. She’s just great.”

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