9th Annual SMART Airports & Regions Conference

A positive approach is needed to reinvigorate the industry. With a multitude of new opportunities on the horizon, aviation can inspire and forge a new vision for economic recovery.

Conference Day One – Thursday, July 11, 2024

8:30am – 9:00am – WELCOME ADDRESS AND OPENING STATEMENTS

Moderator:

• Chris LeTourner, President & Chief Executive Officer, MXD Development Strategists

Speakers:

• Phillip A. Washington, Chief Executive Officer, Denver International Airport
• Ken Cope, Senior Vice President, Real Estate Development, Denver International Airport

9:00am – 10:00am – SMART TALKS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER / AIRPORT DIRECTOR PANEL DISCUSSION:

RESILIENCE & OPPORTUNITY IN THE AIRPORT BUSINESS – airports accelerate and inspire the global economy but what are the unique challenges and opportunities ahead?

• Socially impactful airports
• Aviation net zero
• Dynamic workforce planning
• The decarbonization challenge
• The role of airports in economic growth and regional prosperity
• Creating a culture of innovation

Moderator:

• Chris LeTourner, President & Chief Executive Officer, MXD Development Strategists

Speakers:

• Phillip A. Washington, Chief Executive Officer, Denver International Airport
• Lance Lyttle, IAP, Managing Director, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
• Jamie Abbott, Director of Airports , County of San Diego
• Atif Elkadi, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario International Airport
• Jonna McGrath, Vice President, United Airlines Airport Operations, Denver
• Élisabeth Le Masson, Vice-President, Paris Region Executive Committee

10:00am – 11:00am – SMART TALKS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER / AIRPORT DIRECTOR PANEL DISCUSSION:

AIRPORTS AS ENGINES FOR SMART CITIES & REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT – as airports and cities integrate, the way we build and manage urban development and transportation infrastructure will change to meet the demands of global economic and social development. How will airports act as incubators for innovation and change?

• Planning resilience for SMART airports, cities, and regions
• Urban/advanced air mobility
• Digitization, IOT and SMART city initiatives
• Transforming transportation: sustainable intermodal transportation
• Citizen engagement and serving the community
• Embracing future trends, creative destruction/ disruptive technologies, and innovations

Moderator:

• Chris LeTourner, President & Chief Executive Officer, MXD Development Strategists

Speakers:

• Bryan Benefiel, Deputy General Manager & Chief Financial Officer, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Myron Keehn, President & Chief Executive Officer, Edmonton International Airport
• Rob Hoxie, Chief Development Officer, Chicago Department of Aviation
• Shannetta Griffin, Associate Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Short video

• Linda Mays, Executive Director, USO Colorado/Wyoming/Montana

11:00am – 11:30am – NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK – MEET THE EXHIBITORS

11:30pm – 12:30am – SMART TALKS

SMART AIRPORT CITIES & INNOVATIVE COMMERCIAL LAND DEVELOPMENT – ENGINES FOR REGIONAL PROSPERITY – what are the growth and revenue opportunities right on your front doorstep on the airport area? How do airports of all sizes harness and realize this important asset?

• Regional stakeholder partnerships and collaboration
• Business attraction
• Creating a sustainable airport city
• Innovations in airport real estate

Moderator:

• Chris LeTourner, President & Chief Executive Officer, MXD Development Strategists

Speakers:

• Shannon James, Chief Executive Officer, Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance
• Ken Cope, Senior Vice President, Real Estate Development, Denver International Airport
• Patrick Verhulst, Director, Amsterdam Airport City
• Basil Binns, Deputy Director, Miami International Airport
• David Storer, Director of Business & Commercial Development, Pittsburgh International Airport
• John Brookby, Vice President, Commercial Development, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

12:30pm – 2:00pm – NETWORKING LUNCH – MEET THE EXHIBITORS

2:00pm – 3:00pm – SMART TALKS

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER PANEL DISSCUSSION:

INNOVATION FAST FORWARD – a digital roadmap for future innovation

• Creating a culture of innovation
• Digital twins
• Embracing emerging technologies to enhance the passenger experience
• Bridging the physical and digital world through innovation
• AI and Big Data application in the airport eco system
• Wireless connectivity for the connected environment
• Digital transformation – Roadway through the Airfield

Moderator:

• Samuel Ingalls, IAP,  Principal, Barich Inc.

Speakers:

• Maurice Jenkins, IAP, Digital Strategy and Chief Innovation Officer, Miami Dade Aviation Department
• Juan Lucero, Senior Vice President, Business Technology, Denver International Airport
• Chris Crist, Chief Technology Officer, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Marcus Session, Vice President – Information Technology, Tampa International Airport
• Mike Youngs, Vice President – Information Technology Services, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
• Terry Bills, Global Transportation Industry Director, ESRI
• Levent Akdag, Principal Project Manager – Aviation & South Division, Mott MacDonald

3:00pm – 4:00pm SMART TALKS

AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE 2.0 – transforming airport infrastructure to deliver a world-class travel experience and support sustainable long-term growth

• Designing in decarbonization
• Advanced air mobility & EV ecosystems
• Infrastructure investment in uncertain environments
• Reconfiguring design concepts for the technology-enhanced future
• Digitizing design & construction
• Preparing for future growth

Moderator:

• Eric Peterson, Principal, Alliiance

Speakers:

• Jim Starling, Chief Construction and Infrastructure Officer, Denver International Airport
• Megan Atkins Thoben, Vice President of Operations & Customer Engagement, Louisville Regional Airport Authority
• Michelle Brantley, Owner, Hummingbird Advisory & Consulting Services
• Api Appulingam, Chief Development Officer, Philadelphia International Airport
• Mark Rodrigues, Vice President, Aviation, Transoft Solutions Inc.
• Renée Azerbegi, National Sustainability Market Leader, Architecture and Building Engineering Group, Mead & Hunt
• Andres A Garcia, Vice President, Aviation Americas, Hill International

4:00pm – 4:30pm – NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK – MEET THE EXHIBITORS

4:30pm – 5:30pm – SMART TALKS

THE AIRPORT REVENUE BUSINESS – INNOVATION IN NON-AERONAUTICAL REVENUE DEVELOPMENT – key success factors for future terminal commercial development

• Embracing e-commerce and adapting the business model
• Return on investment in airport terminals
• Commercial development for the new generation of travelers
• Airports and key concession partners must align incentives and develop new, resilient, and cooperative collaboration models
• Frictionless travel retail / F&B experience
• Reimagining customer experience post-pandemic

Moderator:

• Melissa Montes, Vice President and Publisher, Airport Experience News

Speakers:

• Karen Ellis, Chief Customer Experience Officer, San Antonio International Airport
• Aurora Ritter, Interim Chief Commercial Officer, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority
• Pamela DeChant, Senior Vice President, Concessions, Denver International Airport
• Forrest M. Swonsen, Associate Vice President, Airport Systems & Services
• Alan Daring, Vice President, AeroParker

7:30pm – 10:30pm – EVENING NETWORKING PARTY

Conference Day Two: Plenary – Friday, July 12, 2024

8:30am – 9:00am – NETWORKING REFRESHMENTS ON ARRIVAL – MEET THE EXHIBITORS

9:00am – 10:00am – IAP CoP Smart Airports Conference Panel

A New Altitude: Brainstorming Future Competencies of Airport Executive Teams

Moderator:

• Andrew C. Gobeil, IAP, Director, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Speakers:

• Oluwasola Olaitan Awe, IAP, Acting GM Administration, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
• Stephanie Morgan, IAP, Chief of Staff/Development Officer, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority
• Susan Warner Dooley, IAP, Aviation Chief Commercial Officer, Port Authority of NY & NJ
• Tracey Wright, IAP, ORAT Program Manager, Jacobs

10:00am – 10:30am – NETWORKING REFRESHMENTS – MEET THE EXHIBITORS

Conference Day Two: Stream A – Friday, July 12, 2024

10.30am – 12.00am – SESSION ONE (PRESENTATION PANEL)

NEXT AIRPORTS – SMART, DIGITAL, CONNECTED – innovative technologies to digitalize the passenger journey

• Innovations in emerging technologies
• Driving operational excellence
• AI, deep learning, big data, robotics, drones
• Digital evolution driving operational excellence
• Cloud based innovation

Moderator:

• Samuel Ingalls, IAP,  Principal, Barich

Speakers:

• Megan Bozarth, Assistant Vice President Customer Programs, Customer Experience, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
• Clint Auten, Senior Director, Corporate Facilities, Southwest Airlines
• Todd Green, Global Manager – Airports and Transportation, Nanolumens
• Ilya Burkin, Business Development Director, Apron Solutions, ADB SAFEGATE
• Nicholas Scanlon, Director of Marketing Development – Wireless, Corning Optical Communications
• Declan Byrne, Senior Director – Aerospace & Defense, APAC & LATAM, PTC
• Kevin Ryan, Senior Manager and Agilist, Sabel

12.00pm – 1.30pm – SESSION TWO (PRESENTATION PANEL)

ENHANCED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE – what is the customer experience strategy and vision for the future?

• The airport customer experience strategy
• A culture of service
• Adapting to crisis and maintaining operations
• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility
• Art, culture, and a sense of place
• Virtual queuing

Moderator:

• Frank Barich, President, Barich Inc.

Speakers:

• Stacey Stegman, Senior Vice President, Global Communications, Marketing & Customer Experience, Denver international Airport
• Courtney Moore, Assistant Vice President, Terminal Experience, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
• Josie Dressendofer, Founder and Owner, Slice Wireless Solutions
• Steve Mayers, IAP, Vice President, Product Development and Strategy, Tatvam Insights by NetServ
• Chris Blasie, Customer Advocate/Marketing Consultancy Manager, Collins Aerospace

1.30pm – 2.30pm – NETWORKING LUNCH WITH THE EXHIBITORS – MEET THE EXHIBITORS

2.30pm – 4.00pm – SESSION THREE (PRESENTATION PANEL)

TOWARDS THE FUTURE- NEW TECHNOLOGY AND OPPORTUNITIES – driving innovation to overcome the most complex challenges to improve passenger experience and increase efficiency

• Seamless /touchless passenger journey
• Optimized airport operations
• Exploring the latest experience, services, and innovation
• Future trends in terminal technologies
• Improving self-service, baggage, and bag drop solutions

Moderator:

• Samuel Ingalls, IAP, Principal, Barich Inc.

Speakers:

• Sarah Marquez, IAP, Senior Vice President Airport Operations, Denver International Airport
• Brett Winslow, President and Chief Executive Officer, DESIGNA Access Corporation
• Kellen Schroeter, Chief Executive Officer, PatternLabs
• Enrique M. Melendez, Senior Special Systems Consultant, The JW Group
• Kristi Crase, Business Development Director-Aviation, SageGlass
• Chris Sprague, Principal Technologist, Pure Storage, Inc.

Farewell Reception

Conference Day Two: Stream B – Friday, July 12, 2024

10.30am – 12.00am – SESSION ONE (PRESENTATION PANEL)

SMART AIRPORT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT – providing terminals designed for the fast future

• Future airport modernization and expansion projects
• Increasing airport capacity and flexibility
• Reconfiguring design concepts for the technology-enhanced future
• Innovative architectural design for next airports
• Airport terminal transformations

Moderator:

• Eric Peterson, Principal, Alliiance

Speakers:

• Bill Poole, Senior Vice President – Planning and Design, Denver International Airport
• George Seaman, Terminal Core Redevelopment Project Manager, Portland International Airport
• Jade Liska, Deputy Director, Planning & Engineering, Kansas City Aviation Department
• Nancy Volmer, MPC, Director of Communication and Marketing, Salt Lake City International Airport
• Gordon Huether, Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Huether Studio

12.00pm – 1.30pm – SESSION TWO (PRESENTATION PANEL)

A SUSTAINABLE RESET FOR AIRPORTS – sustainable infrastructure is key to new projects and the recovery. How does the industry respond to both the cost and expectations of the traveler while rebuilding profitability?

• Decarbonization
• Investing in sustainable and resilient infrastructure
• Renewable energy, water conservation, and waste reduction
• SAFS
• Grants, funding, and regulations
• Green technology and solutions

Moderator:

• Eric Peterson, Principal, Alliiance

Speakers:

• Scott Morrissey, Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Denver International Airport
• Jeff VanVoorhis, Vice President, Engineering Procurement, Construction Group, Mead & Hunt
• Marilyn Specht, Vice President, Sustainability, Introba
• Pieter van der Horst, Managing Director, Airport City Academy & Consultant, Schiphol Area Development Company
• Tenille Houston, Vice President Relations and Communications, Aurrigo

1.30pm – 2.30pm – NETWORKING LUNCH – MEET THE EXHIBITORS

2.30pm – 4.00pm – SESSION THREE (PRESENTATION PANEL)

CONSTRUCTING AIRPORTS: WHAT ARE THE NEW CHALLENGES? – how airports during large projects are evolving to the changing landscape

• Airport investment
• Regulatory and environmental constraints
• What are the challenges during the design and construction stages?
• New trends in terminal design
• Physical, sensory, behavioral, and emotional environment

Moderator:

• Eric Peterson, Principal, Alliiance

Speakers:

• Michael Sheehan, Senior Vice President of Special Projects, Denver International Airport
• Andrew Ndolo, Supervisor of Planning, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
• Loy Warren, Senior Program Manager, Hill International
• Shelley Armato, Chief Executive Officer, MySmartPlans

Farewell Reception