Airport Experience® News - Leadership 2022

2022 DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR SMALL AIRPORTS

down to help get operations restarted. Kelly, along with leaders of other airports in the Southeast, have reacted similarly over the years when natural disasters strike. “If an airport gets hit with a natural disaster or needs help for some other reason, you want people that know about an airport to come help,” Kelly says. “Airports are uniquely set up to support other airports because of the skill sets the employees have. “SEADOG is an all-volunteer operation, there are no agreements, there are no written contracts or anything like that,” he continues. “When situations arise, we activate the call list. People tune in and those that are likely to be impacted are on the call, and those that are ready to assist are on the call, and federal government is on the call, and state agencies are on the call, and we put together a response plan.” Heath Allen, executive director of the Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH) in Louisiana, met Kelly through the SEADOG group. Then in 2020, LCHwas the recipient of help from other airports after it sustained damage from a hurricane. “During Hurricane Laura, Greg and his team were johnny-on-the-spot, reaching out to us even before the storm hit to render assistance in any way they could,” Allen recalls. He adds, “There are a lot of people that participate in SEADOG,

but Savannah is the group that keeps that clock ticking, without a doubt.” AAAE President and CEO Todd Hauptli also extols Kelly’s commitment to SEADOG, noting multiple instances when Kelly has led the group in a disaster response to help airports in need. “I would call him the Master of Disaster,” Hauptli says. Kelly says the group has given back. “Getting involved in the airport mutual aid activity with SEADOG has been very rewarding,” he says. “It gives you a great appreciation for our industry and all the support that other airports are willing to provide airports that are in need.” A People Person Also rewarding has been being in a position to help others on their career paths. Kelly says the opportunity to develop employees over the years “has been a highlight in my career.” Colleagues and friends praise Kelly for his willingness tomentor others. “He has a really good staff and he pays attention to them and helps them grow and build their careers,” says WoodieWoodward, aviation consultant and former associate administrator for airports, Federal Aviation Administration . One of those on the receiving end of the mentorship is Meghan Woods, a former executive

Above: Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport is on track for a record-breaking year in 2022, surpassing its peak year of 2019.

assistant to Kelly who is now a business development executive at Paradies Lagardère. She calls Kelly “a real mentor tome” and says he shared his extensive knowledge of airports with her and others. The inclination to help and extends beyond just his staff. Allen of LCH says Kelly reached out to him when he was a first-year director, offering advice and assistance as Allen learned the ropes in his new position. And, his influence extends beyond the director’s office. “The folks that work for Greg are consummate professionals as well, and it’s all a reflection on him,” Allen says. Kelly himself will be handing over the reins, but not immediately, as retirement is “a few years out.” Now, as in the past, Kelly has no itch to bring his skills to another airport; instead, he’s focusing on leaving SAV in the best shape possible for the future. “I’m focused on getting this capital project done and developing my team, so that as I start easing towards retirement here, I’ll leave a good team in place and keep developing them,” he says. “We’re fortunate we’ve got great people and so I feel confident that there’ll be a good team in place when I decide to leave.”

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