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 Holli Harrington, Senior Director of Equity and Opportunity at Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA), as the winner of the 2024 Leon C. Watkins “Guardian Award” for Excellence in Business Diversity.
“Holli Harrington has an established track record of championing business diversity in the aviation industry,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Holli constantly seeks opportunities to connect and discuss business and workplace diversity, and her commitment to uplifting diverse community organizations is evident through her leadership. Holli mentors and educates students about opportunities in the industry, ensures that IAA is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and promotes diverse businesses and the communities they support.”
For over a decade, Harrington has invested in promoting IAA’s commitment to business diversity throughout the organization and the aviation industry. This year, Harrington has championed Title VI compliance and developed a training module and web-based complaint process. Additionally, Harrington continues to support equitable access to workforce and economic development opportunities. She facilitated more than 20 outreach sessions and engaged over 200 DMWVBE and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBEs) to increase the pipeline of diverse businesses.
“To be recognized under the name sake of Leon Watkins is a true lifetime honor. It is a joy to strive to follow Mr. Watkin’s example, to honor his diligent work in blazing a path for equality and opportunity for minority and women businesses, and most rewarding to see the impact it has on our industry, our organizations and our communities on the whole. Thank you to ACI-NA for this tremendously treasured and inspiring recognition.”
Harrington also established mentorship and networking opportunities for students interested in the aviation industry. This year, she facilitated opportunities and career conversations for over 100 students from the Indy Aviation Career Education Academy, Young Innovators Quest, Republic Airways, National Society of Black Engineers, Wabash College, and Project Stepping Stone. Under her leadership, DMWVBE participation increased by 25% in 2023, and diverse supplier spending was $47.3 million, a significant increase from $38.5 million in 2022. She also ensured IAA upholds its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Racial minorities and women currently represent 66% of IAA’s workforce.
About the Leon C. Watkins Guardian Award
Established in 2020, the Leon C. Watkins Guardian Award for Excellence in Business Diversity recognizes a business diversity leader who has promoted the growth and evolution of minority- and women-owned businesses and suppliers, while also fostering the advancement of civil rights and equal opportunities for all within the airport business environment.
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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.
