Airport Experience® News - Leadership Issue 2025

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DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR LARGE-HUB AIRPORTS

APPROACHABLE AND AVAILABLE Level-Headed Makovsky Collaborates, Listens While Leading Fast-Growing Airport

BY ANDREW TELLIJOHN

DERRYL BENTON, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AVOLTA “During the pandemic, all the things that the concessionaires were dealing with, he had an open door and a listening ear. [That was crucial when] you were in my side of the house trying to navigate how

Rare is the leader that has never had a bad word said about him, but Chad Makovsky comes close. The aviation director at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) worked his way up through several roles within the city’s department of aviation and those who met him along the way say he’s as approachable now as he was when he started. Peers, civic leaders and business partners say he’s likeable, has an open door and hands-on when it comes to improving not just the airport but the entire region, as well. Here’s what they had to say.

we were going to come through this, having leases that had all the requirements that you can imagine. And I’ll give a shout out to the city administration, the mayor, the city council. It’s a city that is in sync with the airport. When you are part of city council meetings and they’re talking about the airport, the mayor and the council are fully engaged in what’s happening at the airport. Chad navigates tough issues in that airport, in that city, but I just find him genuinely a personable, likable person to do business with.”

ATIF SAEED, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE CITY, PHILADELPHIA DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION “What’s amazing about him is that you find him engaged in every forum. He’s not just showing up for the sake of showing up. He was part of the U.S. Policy Council for ACI, now the

KATE GALLEGO, MAYOR OF PHOENIX

board. We were drafting the priorities for the Policy Council last year. He took the lead and took on a major chunk of work. Same thing with AAAE. He’s not only on the board and has served in their policy review committee. He’s co-chair of the ACT program. He recently got elected as vice chair of ACRP. He genuinely cares. He leads with that passion. He gets things done with high quality. He’s trying to help create a body of knowledge that will be helpful to the entire community.” “Personally, having somebody who I know and trust, and someone who has been in a leadership role running an airport longer than I have, is [beneficial]. He’s very generous and very candid in his sharing of information, which [holds] a great deal of value to me.”

“Chad is an incredible aviation leader. He has helped Sky Harbor become one of the top airports in the world. I really appreciate his understanding of the airport’s role in the Phoenix economy. The airport is a huge hub for economic activity, and Chad reflects that and understands that. He works

with us to accomplish big city-wide goals. For example, a Taiwanese company made a $165 billion investment in the city of Phoenix, which is the largest foreign direct investment in a city in USA history. Chad has worked to make sure we now have two Taiwanese carriers going nonstop between Phoenix and Taipei. Chad also makes sure that we offer a great customer experience.”

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AX NEWS DECEMBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026