June 12, 2024
Miami, FL – Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, today announced the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey (PANYNJ), Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport, and Arora Engineers as the 2024 Inclusion Champion Award recipients.
“Collaboration among a diverse set of workers, businesses, and partners is required to give passengers a safe and enjoyable traveling experience,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “These honorees demonstrated their commitment to inclusive business practices, workforce development, and outreach to produce positive outcomes for travelers and employees. ACI-NA thanks the honorees for developing and implementing programs that strengthen the airport industry.”
Large Hub Inclusion Champion: Port Authority of New York/New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York/New Jersey (PANYNJ) implemented a multi-faceted approach to achieve its business and workplace inclusivity goals. To encourage and support diverse businesses, PANYNJ established a small contracts program, developed a workshop and webinar series that promotes best practices, and partnered with programs to help diverse businesses build their capacity to effectively bid for architectural, engineering, construction, operations & maintenance, and concessions opportunities. PANYNJ also supports its employees with strategies to expand workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and recruitment efforts. PANYNJ has robust training programs to mitigate unconscious bias and cultivate a respectful working environment, resource groups to provide a networking forum for employee-organized groups, and a mentoring program to ensure that employees are supported and have opportunities to advance professionally. Additionally, PANYNJ sponsors or facilitates outreach initiatives to maintain connections with community and business stakeholders. These stakeholders provide input that guides PANYNJ’s approach to developing and promoting inclusive and sustainable economic redevelopment programs.
“We value the multifaceted diversity of our workforce and community and are enormously proud of our comprehensive efforts to expand opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses through aggressive outreach efforts,” Port Authority of NY & NJ Director of Aviation Charles R. Everett Jr. said. “It’s our responsibility to be proactive and set the bar as high as possible, and our inclusionary contracting and hiring practices have delivered time and again for our local communities, who rightly benefit from being neighbors and partners of the nation’s busiest airport system. We appreciate the recognition by our industry’s leader, ACI-NA, and remain committed to growing our inclusionary programs that embrace, encourage and enable diversity.”
Small Hub Inclusion Champion: Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport
The Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) developed and sustained initiatives that increased participation among various businesses and established employment practices that demonstrate inclusion and diversity. LIT’s business initiatives resulted in increased small business participation and attracted more diverse suppliers and employees. LIT also leveraged technology to measure diversity participation, which enhanced the airport’s ability to track progress and identify areas for improvement. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to LIT’s culture. Of the 38 senior leadership members, 50% are diverse females and/or racial minorities. LIT is also committed to offering staff development and opportunities for employees to participate in professional associations and attend conferences and trainings. Additionally, LIT includes tuition reimbursement in employee benefits to support employees in pursuing their professional goals and advancing their careers.
“Clinton National Airport embodies a genuine culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that is deeply ingrained in our DNA,” said Tom Clarke, PE, C.M., interim executive director of Clinton National Airport. “This commitment is reflected in consistent outreach and support for small and minority businesses, as well as in dedication to building a workforce that mirrors our community. By providing comprehensive support and tools, we empower our employees to champion values stemming from the airport’s robust, innovative culture.”
World Business Partner/Associate Inclusion Champion: Arora Engineers
As a minority-owned business, Arora Engineers incorporates diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts into every segment of its operations. Through partnerships with small, minority, and women-owned businesses, Arora collaborates with diverse talent on every innovative infrastructure project. Since diversity, equity, and inclusion are engrained into its culture, Arora meticulously tracks its diversity goals by reviewing subcontracting plans and goals to constantly improve and create sustainable change. While recruiting, Arora actively targets diverse talent pools and reaches underrepresented groups by partnering with organizations like the Airport Minority Advisory Council, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, National Society of Black Engineers, and Women’s Transportation Seminar. Arora continues to build a more inclusive culture to ensure that every employee is valued. More than 50% of Arora’s workforce identifies as minority or female.
“Receiving the 2024 ACI-NA Inclusion Champion Award is a profound honor for Arora Engineers, our subsidiaries, and our business partner, Jacmel Partners” said Manik Arora, President & CEO. “At Arora, inclusion is more than a principle—it’s a dynamic force driving our actions and shaping our legacy. As a minority-owned business, our journey has been marked by resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to diversity. Winning the Inclusion Champion Award is an honor that validates our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and measurable impact. Our diverse workforce not only enriches our company culture but also enhances the quality of our projects, benefiting our aviation partners and the global communities we serve. This recognition is a testament to the impact of our collective efforts and inspires us to continue advancing equity and inclusion in the industry.”
About ACI-NA
Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) represents local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Approximately 380 aviation-related businesses are also members of ACI-NA, providing goods and services to airports. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Learn more at www.airportscouncil.org.
