Airport Experience® News - Leadership & Culture Issue 2023

2023 LARGE AIRPORTS DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

TODD GLORIA Mayor of San Diego

“Kim is exactly the right leader at this crit ical juncture for San Diego International Airport, with a new terminal project that

ORIS DUNHAM Managing Partner, Dunham Group

“I thought she ran a very good airport [in San Jose]. You could tell – if the airports aren’t on the front page above the fold a whole lot they seem to run smoothly. There was not a lot of conflict there, there were not a lot of problems. That’s not true of all airports. I knew her, I knew her personality, and I thought she would be a great fit in San Diego.”

has significant regional transportation implications. She has managed the incredibly complex interagency collabo ration necessary to maximize the regional benefits of the project while keeping it moving on an ambitious timeline. I expect San Diego International Airport will be one of the most impressive ‘front doors’ in the nation because of Kim’s able leadership at this pivotal moment.”

JOE LOPANO CEO, Tampa International Airport “Kim is one of my favorite people. She’s very measured in her approach to things and she’s extremely quali fied. She’s managed some extremely large projects and brought them to

JAMIE RHEE Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation

“I am one of the biggest fans of Kim Becker out there. When I became commissioner back in 2018, she was one of the first CEOs to reach out to me to offer any assistance at all, and she has been a wealth of knowledge. … I have never found anyone

that can bring such a measured response with such intellect and command of the indus try as Kim. She has been a godsend to me and so many others.”

completion and she’s provided good leadership within our airport industry, whether it be in ACI or in the U.S. Travel {Association]. So, she’s a really valuable person and a great friend who I use as a sounding board often.”

STEVE HUBBELL Senior Manager of Properties, Southwest Airlines

“Kim is willing to discuss any issue and take airline feedback and implement where she can. She has really brought us into all the conversations on the project and operating the airport. One example: I was on the selection panel for the COO position she filled earlier this year. There are not a lot of airports that would bring in an airline representative to help in choosing a leadership position at the airport.”

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AX NEWS LEADERSHIP ISSUE 2023