MIA Receives Miami Today 2017 Gold Medal Award

April 21, 2017

On April 19, Miami International Airport received the Miami Today 2017 Gold Medal Award, the award program’s top honor for a local organization. MIA was chosen from more than 100 nominations, and was selected by a seven-person panel of judges representing leading business and civic organizations in Miami-Dade County. Miami Today, a weekly business publication founded in 1983, has been presenting the Gold Medal Awards for 18 years.

“Congratulations to the MIA team on receiving this prestigious award, which duly honors them for their hard work and dedication to making our airport one of the most important assets in our community,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.

MIA, which is operated by the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, won the Gold Medal based on the national recognition it earned in 2016 for its customer service innovations, diverse and inclusive business practices, sustainability efforts, community engagement and retail concessions. The awards MIA received in 2016 most notably included: Airports Council International-North America’s Inclusion Champion Award in the Large Airport category; the American Association of Airport Executives’ inaugural Airport Innovation Award, for the airport’s creative work to improve the passenger experience; the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award in the category of Best Airport for Shopping; and four 2016 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards.

"MIA continues to achieve new milestones and serve as one of our community's most important economic engines," said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rebeca Sosa, Chairwoman of the County’s Economic Development and Tourism Committee. "I thank Miami Today for this great recognition and congratulate MIA staff and leadership for this well-deserved award."

Judges who selected the Gold Medal Award winners were: Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President of Florida Memorial University; Jaret Davis, Co-Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig;  Wendy Kallergis, President of the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association; Bruce Orosz, Chairman of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau; Alfred Sanchez, CEO of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce; Mark Trowbridge, President and CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce; and Dr. Jose Antonio Villamil, Founder and Principal of the Washington Economics Group.

“It is a true honor to be recognized by Miami Today and our peers with this year’s Gold Medal Award,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. González. “As the front door for 96 percent of all visitors to Miami-Dade County, and as the busiest U.S. airport for international freight, we are proud to serve as our community’s gateway to the world, and we look forward to reaching even greater heights.”