Louis Miller Named Recipient of 2016 Downes Award

September 26, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2016

 

MONTREAL — Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) today announced that Louis E. Miller has been named the recipient of the 2016 Williams E. Downes, Jr. Memorial Award.  The Downes Award is presented by ACI-NA to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting the cause of airports and aviation throughout the local, national and worldwide communities. The award is the highest honor given by ACI-NA.  The award was presented during a special ceremony at the 2016 ACI-NA/World Annual Conference and World General Assembly in Montréal on September 27, 2016.

“ACI-NA is proud to honor Louis Miller as the recipient of the 2016 William E. Downes Jr. Award,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Louis has a clear record of success in advancing the industry though his significant contributions while leading Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Tampa International Airport, and Salt Lake City International Airport, as well as his important work that strengthened Airports Council International as a global organization.”

Each year, ACI-NA presents the Downes Award to an aviation leader who has demonstrated strong and outstanding leadership and action in the cause of airports and aviation as a vital part of the local, national or worldwide aviation community; successful work for acceptance, development and support of needed airport programs; cooperation among various segments of aviation, with the goal of bettering airports; or, conceived or fostered a creative or innovative approach to solving today’s problems and planning for future airport and aviation development.

After an aviation career lasting more than 30 years, Miller retired in December 2013 after serving as the Aviation General Manger for the City of Atlanta Department of Aviation, where he had served for three years. In that position he was responsible for the management and operation of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Prior to Atlanta, Miller served as Executive Director of Tampa International Airport for 13 years and as Executive Director of the Salt Lake City International Airport 13 years.  He started his airport career as Salt Lake City airports’ chief accountant.

Miller was also a long-time member of ACI and ACI-NA, helping shape the organization to make it more responsive to the evolving needs of airports.  He also served as a leading advocate by shaping federal legislation impacting airports.

Background

About the William E. Downes Jr. Memorial Award

As ACI-NA’s most prestigious award, the “William E. Downes Jr. Memorial Award” is the namesake of Bill Downes, the former commissioner of aviation for the City of Chicago from 1959 to 1975.  The Downes award recognizes outstanding leadership and action in the cause of airport or aviation management.

 

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.