Airport Experience® News - Leadership 2022

2022 DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR SMALL AIRPORTS

that, such as working with contractors, consultants, new airline agreements, new concession agreements, a new rate model. “That experience was invaluable, and I was there on day one when the new terminal complex became active,” he continues. “That’s an experience that I think really helped me grow in the industry.” Bringing The Growth After working alongside Graham, who was an AXN Director of the Year in 2011, for nearly 25 years, Kelly got his shot at the top spot at SAV when Graham retired in 2013. Kelly was named interim director at that time, and was named executive director the following year. Since then, Kelly has focused on attracting new air service to the small Georgia city and to neighboring Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and to offering a superlative passenger experience at SAV. Bill Miles, president and CEO of the Hilton Head Chamber of Commerce , says Kelly’s commitment to the traveler experience has helped boost tourism in the region. “He has had a tremendous impact on two states,” he notes. Hilton Head Island boasts its own commercial service airport, but many travelers choose SAV as their point of entry or exit in the region. “We work well with both airports and I’m proud to say both airports play well together,” Miles says.

SAV had its peak year in 2019, when total passenger numbers exceeded 3 million for the first time in the airport’s history. Numbers tumbled in 2020, of course, and 2021 was a strong rebuilding year. While it was too early to tell at press time, 2022 passenger numbers appear likely exceed the 2019 record as more tourists flock to the south Georgia destination. “We’re about 10 to 15% above 2019,” Kelly said in September of 2022. “We were one of the leisure destination airports that benefited from the pandemic impact on the airlines - they wanted to fly to areas that were open. Certainly, we were one of those areas that was open, so we benefited from that and now it’s continuing to grow.” SAV has attracted Southwest Airlines, Breeze Airways and Avelo Airlines since the start of the pandemic, Kelly notes. “We’re still bullish on growth in the future here, and we’re expanding our terminal and our facilities to reflect what we expect,” he says. Plans are underway to add four new gates, expand the security checkpoint, improve rental car facilities and other improvements. Kelly has also been instrumental in increasing non-aeronautical revenue in recent years. “We have substantial non-aeronaut ica l development , a signi f icant footpr int, and all the non-aeronautical revenue that comes into play along with that,” he says, citing in particular the growth and expansion of Gulfstream Aerospace at the airport.

“Master of Disaster” SAV has grown not only in passenger numbers since Kelly took the helm, but in stature as a small but influential entity on the regional and national scene. Former director Graham also had an outsized commitment to the broader airport industry, and Kelly has taken the mantle with a similar approach. “It’s part of the culture of our airport to be involved and to do what we can to support our industry,” Kelly says. “From the local level, to the state level, to the national level, that’s just part of our culture. It’s what we’re encouraged to do and what we encourage our employees to do. “When I was early in my career, that’s one of the first things I was told to do was get involved at Georgia Airports Association and work my way up to president of that,” he continues. “From there, get into the Southeast Chapter [of the American Association of Airport Executives ]. I worked my way up to president there. [The SAV culture is to] be active on the national level, get involved in the committees, host conferences. Work your way into leadership roles at the national level and certainly support all the efforts there any way you can.” In fact, in November 2020, Kelly was awarded the AAAE Distinguished Service Award. It is one of AAAE’s highest levels of recognition and is presented to airport executives in honor of an exemplary career and contributions to the airport industry. Most prominent among Kelly’s efforts on the regional and national scale is his ongoing leadership of and commitment to the Southeast Airports Disaster Operations Group, or SEADOG, an informal collection of airports that come together to provide operational assistance to other airports hit by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes or floods. In fact, it was Kelly’s predecessor, Graham, who first started the effort. According to Kelly, SEADOG was informally launched in 2004 when Hurricane Ivan impacted Pensacola International Airport (PNS). Graham sent a team of airport professionals

Left: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is a small airport with a big impact. SAV was voted the number-one airport in the U.S. in the 2022 Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.

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