Robert J. Aaronson Robert J. Aaronson was appointed Director General of Airports Council International in April 2002. Mr. Aaronson is a well known aviation executive who has had significant international experience over the past twenty-five years dealing with the airport business from every perspective. Mr. Aaronson has had direct responsibility for the management and development of six major U.S. airports. These include the three airports operated by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANY&NJ) — John F. Kennedy International Airport, La Guardia Airport and Newark International Airport — which together constitute one of the world’s leading city multi-airport systems. His eight-year tenure in New York from 1981 to 1989 was preceded by service in the U.S. Government as the top official in the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration responsible for nationwide airport standards, safety and development. From 1989 to 1992, Mr. Aaronson was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the trade group of the major North American passenger and cargo airlines. In 1993, he became Executive Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Air Terminal — which became Airport Group International (AGI) and was one of the first firms engaged in worldwide airport development and operations. In 1997, Mr. Aaronson left the management of AGI to establish his own consulting firm, Strategies For Airports, Inc., working personally with selected clients on a wide variety of aviation management, commercialization, and privatization initiatives. In 1999, his firm became part of the global Lufthansa Consulting organization, and he was appointed its Executive Vice President–Americas. In 1987–1988, Mr. Aaronson served as Chairman of the Airport Operators Council International (one of the predecessor organizations of ACI). He was also President of the (U.S.) National Association of State Aviation Officials, and President of the Wings Club (in New York). He is a graduate of Brown University (Rhode Island) and earned a Master’s degree in Governmental Administration from the Wharton Graduate Division of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Aaronson and his wife Louise live in Geneva, Switzerland. |