KANSAS CITY, MO – Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, announced Tina Kinsey, Chief Administrative Officer of Asheville Regional Airport, as the 2025 recipient of the Ted Bushelman Legacy Award for Creativity and Excellence. The Bushelman Award honors the accomplishments and contributions of airport marketing, communications, and customer experience professionals. The award was presented to Kinsey during the 2025 ACI-NA Marketing and Communications Conference in Kansas City, MO.
“Tina Kinsey is a dedicated and passionate leader who has championed the important role of airport marketing, communications, and customer experience,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Her work has significantly accelerated these efforts locally at AVL and across the entire aviation industry. Tina takes on each new challenge with an unmatched creativity and commitment, and I can think of no better person to receive this honor.”
As Chief Administrative Officer for AVL, Kinsey provides exceptional organizational leadership, overseeing the daily administrative operations of the entire airport. Working closely with the CEO, she ensures that policies, procedures, and administrative efforts are firmly in place to maintain operational efficiency. Kinsey spearheads several key departments and guides high-performing teams to success. In addition, she is instrumental in strengthening the airport’s management, helping to shape its strategic direction, fostering meaningful engagement with stakeholders, and cultivating a positive organizational culture. Before being named CAO of AVL in 2024, Kinsey served as vice president of marketing, public relations, and air service.
Kinsey has been a driving force behind AVL’s transformative growth. Under her leadership, the airport has added more than 20 non-stop destinations and increased seat capacity by over 230%. Over the last ten years, eight have seen record passenger volumes under her watch, with more than one million annual enplanements over the past three years. Kinsey’s insight into the impact of aviation on regional tourism has made her a steadfast advocate for the Asheville community, strengthening the airport’s role as a major contributor to North Carolina’s economic success.
Her exceptional accomplishments have led to well-deserved recognition across the nation. Earlier this year, Kinsey was honored with the 2025 ACI-NA Air Service Achievement Award, highlighting her leadership, vision, and commitment to growth.
Kinsey is highly engaged in the aviation industry, having previously served as Chair of the ACI-NA Marketing, Communications, and Customer Experience Committee Steering Group, where her leadership significantly helped advance the group’s goals and produce impeccable results for our aviation industry.
The Ted Bushelman Legacy Award for Creativity and Excellence is named for its first recipient, Ted Bushelman, who served as Senior Director of Communications at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport for 40 years.
The award is presented each year to an individual nominated and selected by their peers in the airport industry. This special award recognizes the values, accomplishments, and creativity of airport marketing, communications, and customer experience professionals who also share those talents and contribute to the legacy of professionalism experienced throughout our meetings and programs.
In addition, the individual who is selected must have a record of demonstrating their skills, expertise, and professionalism in some or all of the following areas:
- Promotes the professionalism of the marketing, communications, and customer experience disciplines within the airport industry;
- Has a history of generating and embracing new ideas to promote and support their airport’s programs and services;
- Actively share their knowledge and experience with other marketing, communications, and customer experience professionals within the airport industry;
- Participates in the ACI-NA Marketing, Communications, and Customer Experience Committee and attends its programs; and
- Promotes the importance and advances the understanding of airports and aviation within the broader community.
Past Bushelman Award Winners
2008 – Ted Bushelman, Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport
2009 – Michael Conway, Detroit Metropolitan Airport
2010 – Jerry Staples, Halifax International Airport
2011 – Tara Hamilton, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
2012 – Patricia Rowe, Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport
2013 – Not awarded
2014 – Lucinda Harshman, Pittsburgh International Airport
2015 – Carolyn Fennell, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
2016 – Dickie Davis, Miami International Airport
2017 – Not awarded
2018 – Not awarded
2019 – Brad Martin, Boston Logan International Airport
2020 – Karen Ellis, San Antonio Airport System
2021 – Myrna White, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
2022 – John Albrecht, Oakland International Airport
2023 – Krista Kealey, Ottawa International Airport
2024 – Justin Meyer, Kansas City International Airport
2025 – Tina Kinsey, Asheville Regional Airport
###