The Airport Executive Partnership Award recognizes an airport manager for his or her outstanding efforts to foster relationships between aviation businesses and airport operators. Recipients of the award must illustrate leadership in the “partnership” between airport operators and airport tenants. NATA is extremely pleased to recognize the airport manager who has devoted his or her career to developing a positive relationship between the airport and its tenants.
2024 - Rick Crider, Airport Director, Prescott Regional Airport
Past Recipients:
2023 - Mike Fronapfel, CEO and Executive Director, Centennial Airport
2021/2022 - John Black, Executive Directory, Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority
2019 - Diane Crews, President and CEO, Orlando Sanford International Airport
2018 - Flora Margheritis, C.M., Airport Manager, Van Nuys Airport
2017 - Juan E. Rivera, Airport Director, Manassas Regional Airport
2016 - William T. Hutto, Jr., A.A.E., PhD, Airport Director, Auburn University Regional Airport
2015 - Mark R. Davidson, A.A.E., Airport Director, Airport Commission of Forsyth County - Smith Reynolds Airport
2014 - Jess Romo, Airport Manager, Van Nuys Airport and LA/Ontario International
2013 - William (Bill) Welstead, Airport System Director, City of Fort Worth
2012 - Christopher U. Browne, Vice President and Airport Manager, Washington Dulles International Airport
2011 - Dave Edwards, President and CEO, Greenville-Spartanburg Airport
2010 - John Bales, Airport Director, Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Missouri
2009 - Eric J. Frankl, Executive Director, Blue Grass Airport
2008 - Gary Schmidt, Director of Reliever Airports, Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission
2007 – Ray Bishop, Airport Director, Jackson Hole Airport
2006 – Robert L. McDaniel, Airport Director, St. Louis Downtown Airport
2005 – Clara Bennett, Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport
2004 – Edward B. Cooley, Hillsborough County Aviation Authority
2003 – Frederick Krum, Director of Aviation, Akron-Canton Regional Airport
2002 – Robert Olisagers, Executive Director, Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority
2001 – William Barkhauer, Airport Director, Morristown Municipal Airport, Morristown, NJ
2000 – Richard R. Baird, Airport Manager, Friedman Memorial Airport
1999 – Michael Barth, Airport Manager, Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio
1998 – Brent Shiner, A.A.E., Airport Manager, City of Hayward, CA
1997 – Kevin T. McNamara, Director of General Aviation, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
1996 – Steven G. Whitney, President, Friends of Meigs Field
1995 – Harold “Hall” Wight, A.A.E., Manager of Airports, Contra Costa (CA) County Airport
1994 – Loretta Scott, Airport Manager, Tyler Pounds Field