Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) recognized airports, aviation business partners and industry professionals across six award programs during the 2026 Business of Airports Conference in Salt Lake City.

The awards highlighted programs and individuals demonstrating leadership in workforce development, human resources, airport finance, concessions and business inclusion.

Six organizations received Airport Workforce Development Accreditation, a multi-level program designed to help airports and aviation businesses build long-term talent pipelines. Houston Airport System, Naples Airport and Rapid City Regional Airport earned Level 1 accreditation, while Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport earned Level 2, San Francisco International Airport earned Level 3 and Los Angeles World Airports achieved Level 5.

San Francisco International Airport received the Overall Human Resources Program Award for its People, Performance, and Development initiative. The program achieved a 95% employee retention rate and delivered more than 1,200 hours of professional development. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority received the Individual Topic Award for its SOAR succession planning framework, which has achieved 91% coverage of key leadership positions.

ACI-NA also recognized three airport finance professionals. Damian Brooke of Tampa International Airport received the Large Airport honor, Brandy James of Charleston International Airport received the Medium Airport honor and Maria Kim of Gerald R. Ford International Airport received the Small Airport honor. Sheri Ernico of Jacobs received the inaugural Finance Partner of the Year Award.

In concessions, the Midway Partnership Concessions Program at Chicago Midway International Airport received the Richard A. Griesbach Award for Excellence in Airport Concessions. Since 2017, the program has added more than 55 locations, including 26 local concepts. Tim Juul of Greenville-Spartanburg Airport received the Concessions Person of the Year Award after helping diversify the airport's offerings and increase food and beverage operating revenue by 52%.

Cindy Olivares, principal of ACC Consulting LLC, received the Leon C. Watkins Guardian Award for Excellence in Business Diversity. Olivares has spent more than three decades supporting airport ACDBE and DBE programs and developed the FAA's nine-module online certification training program, which has trained more than 1,600 certifiers nationwide.

The Chicago Department of Aviation received the Large Hub Inclusion Champion Award for its ORDNext program, which has directed more than $8 billion in work and added more than 60 new minority- and women-owned businesses at O'Hare International Airport since 2022.

William P. Hobby Airport received the Medium Hub Inclusion Champion Award for its work to expand diverse business participation in airport concessions. Nieuport Aviation, operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, received the World Business Partner/Associate award for providing rotating terminal retail opportunities to small and minority-owned businesses from across the Greater Toronto Area.