Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC)
45 L Street SW
P.O. Box 71560
Washington, DC 20024
© 2025 AMAC Annual Conference
Catalyst—A person or thing whose talk, enthusiasm or energy causes a change.
The AMAC Catalyst Awards honor AMAC members who have contributed outstandingly to further AMAC’s goals and mission. AMAC members are invited in advance to nominate individuals or organizations—award recipients are honored at the live event.
Voting Criteria
- Your membership must be current as of Friday, April 11 to submit a nomination and to be a nominee. Need to join or renew? Update your membership, join or renew online at: amac-org.com/membership.
- Winners of the past two years are not eligible to be nominated.
Timeline
- Nominations Submission Extension: Friday, April 18
- Nominations Due: Friday, April 11
- AMAC Catalyst Awards: Tuesday, July 1
Award Categories
Airport Design Innovation Award
Honors an airport or corporation that has demonstrated creativity and originality in its project design and met or exceeded DBE and MWBE participation goals over two years in an architectural, engineering or construction project.
Airport Concessions Innovation Award
Honors an airport or corporation whose concessions program has shown commitment, creativity and originality in its efforts to achieve and exceed its ACDBE goal over two years.
Advocate of the Year Award
Honors an individual within the industry who profoundly exemplifies AMAC’s mission.
Small Business Partner Award
Honors a certified and/or designated small business that supports AMAC’s mission and goals and has significantly impacted its community and workforce.
Airport of the Year Award
Honors an airport for significant contributions toward the realization of DBE, ACDBE, MWBE or EEO goals within an airport (e.g., program implementation, new program initiatives to foster growth and development of DBEs or encourage employment, research, litigation, etc.).
Hall of Fame Award
Honors individual(s) who made lasting and significant contributions to the aviation industry. The individual(s) have continuously supported AMAC’s mission and goals and fostered growth and development within the industry
Supplier Leadership Award
Honors an airport, organization, or individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment, and innovation in advancing supplier diversity programs within the aviation industry.
Local Small Business Champion Award
Honors an individual from the Annual Conference region who demonstrates leadership in promoting small business growth and economic development through partnership with the current Annual Conference host airport.
Emerging Leaders Award
Honors young professionals (ages 19 – 40) in the aviation industry who are aspirational and energetic in their career approaches. They reflect and possess the ability for ongoing exceptional growth in contribution(s) to their profession and impact on the industry, including motivating and inspiring others.
Airport Director of the Year Award
Honors an Airport Director, Executive Director, or President/CEO who exemplifies the mission and goals of AMAC. The recipient must have significantly impacted the airport ecosystem across the industry, driving positive results and inspiring change. They should have served as a positive role model within their local community and airport, acted with integrity, and demonstrated a positive influence on their workforce. Additionally, the individual should have achieved goals related to Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE), Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE), or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) within their airport.
Chapter of the Year Award
Recognizes a Chapter demonstrating a strong commitment to AMAC’s mission and purpose. The evaluation focuses on the Chapter’s impact on community leadership and management engagement, fundraising and financial stability, partnerships, and growth.
2024 AMAC Catalyst Awards Honorees
AMAC Catalyst Award: Raymond Christy, Airport Planning DBE Manager – Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Coordinator, Salt Lake City Department of Airports
AMAC Airport Design Innovation and Inclusion Award: Api Appulingam, Chief Development Officer, City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation
AMAC Airport Concessions Innovation and Inclusion Award: Paradies Lagardère at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
AMAC Advocate of the Year Award: Sunshine White, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships, Delaware North
AMAC Small Business Partner Award: Apryl Stewart, Founder & President, Skyview Concessions, Inc.
AMAC Inclusive Leadership Award: Charlene Reynolds, Airport Director, John Wayne Airport
AMAC Local Small Business Champion Award: Semone Jeffries of Prince’s Hot Chicken
AMAC Emerging Leaders Award: Devon Ray, Director, Strategic Alliances, HMSHost by Avolta
AMAC Hall of Fame Award: Gregg Paradies, President & CEO, Paradies Lagardère
AMAC Airport of the Year Award: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
AMAC President & CEO Award: Inez Lampley, Founder, Fresher, LLC
AMAC Charles “CJ” Johnson Award: Karen Ellis, Chief Customer Experience Officer, San Antonio Airport System
AMAC Chairman’s Award: Justina Mann, President & Managing Principal, Blue Ink Group
AMAC Chairman’s Award: Doug Kreulen, President & CEO, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
AMAC Airport Director of the Year – William “Bill” Jennings Award: Kevin Dolliole, Director of Aviation, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
AMAC Airport Design Innovation and Inclusion Award: Hudson Design & Construction Group
AMAC Airport Concessions Innovation and Inclusion Award: Khalia Moore, Senior Manager, Airport Dining & Retail, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
AMAC Advocate of the Year: Nick Crews, CEO and Managing Partner, Crews
AMAC Small Business Partner Award: Kurt and Lachelle Mangum of TMG Hospitality USA
AMAC Inclusive Leadership Award: Sarah Levy Imberman, Owner, Sarah’s Foods
AMAC Local Small Business Champion Award: Chef Johnny Hernandez, Founder/President, Grupo La Gloria and True Flavors Inc.
AMAC Emerging Leaders Award: Anita Cobb, Market Leader, Aviation Equity Strategies, Mead & Hunt
AMAC Hall of Fame Award: Ron Gomes, Vice President, Strategic Alliances, HMSHost
AMAC Airport of the Year Award: San Antonio Airport System
AMAC President’s Award: Nancy West, Chair, AMAC PAC Board of Directors; Founder & Managing Member, Exstare Federal Services Group, LLC
AMAC Charles “CJ” Johnson Award: Derryl Benton, Executive Vice President of Business Development, HMSHost
AMAC Chairman’s Award: Dwight Pullen Jr., At-Large Director, AMAC Board of Directors; Chair, AMAC Aviation Professional Development Committee; Senior Vice President, Global Aviation Americas Leader, AECOM
AMAC Airport Director of the Year Award: Lance Lyttle, Managing Director, Aviation, Port of Seattle (Seattle-Tacoma International Airport)
AMAC Design Innovation and Inclusion Award: BOWA Construction
AMAC Airport Concessions Innovation Award: Hudson
AMAC Advocate of the Year Award: Tamela Lee, Vice President, Business Diversity and Development; Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
AMAC Small Business Partner Award: Greg “GP” Plummer, Director, AMAC Foundation Board of Directors; CEO & Managing Partner, Concord Collective
AMAC Inclusive Leader Award: Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
AMAC Airport of the Year Award: O’Hare & Midway International Airports
AMAC President’s Award: Keiva Rodriques, Deputy Chief Engineer, Division of Planning and Engineering, Maryland Aviation Administration
AMAC Chairman’s Award: Andrella Kenner, Director, AMAC Foundation Board of Directors; Founder & President, CI2 Aviation
AMAC Local Small Business Champion Award: Dee M. Robinson, CEO, Robinson Hill
AMAC Leaper Award: Jose Cuevas, Senior Manager, Commercial, JFK International Air Terminal
AMAC Hall of Fame Award: Corliss Stone-Littles, Director, AMAC PAC Board of Directors, Managing Member, Corliss Stone-Littles, LLC
AMAC Charles “CJ” Johnson Award: John Clark, Senior Vice President of Development, Airports and Airlines, SSP America
AMAC Advocate of the Year Award – Courtney Thornton, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Business Development, Hudson Group
AMAC Airport of the Year Award – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
AMAC Airport Concessions Innovation and Inclusion Award – Jackmont Hospitality
AMAC Airport Design Innovation and Inclusion Award – Los Angeles World Airports
AMAC Chairman’s Award – Angela Gittens, (Retired) Former Director General, Airports Council International
AMAC Hall of Fame Award – Derryl Benton, Executive Vice President, Business Development, HMSHost
AMAC Inclusive Leadership Award – SP Plus Airport Services
AMAC Local Small Business Champion Award – William “Bill” Swift, Treasurer, AMAC Board of Directors / Owner, Business Traveler Services, Inc. and Swift Services, Inc.
AMAC Small Business Partner Award – CI2 Aviation
TO BE POSTED SOON!
Airport Design Innovation and Inclusion Award – Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
Small Business Partner – Newburns Management Group LLC
Airport Concessions Innovation and Inclusion Award – Orlando International Airport
AMAC Advocate of the Year Award – Lauryn Mangum, Stellar Partners Inc.
AMAC Airport of the Year – Tampa International Airport
AMAC Hall of Fame Award – Joe Lyons, DFS Group
AMAC Hall of Fame Award – Bettye Dixon, Concourse Concessions
AMAC Hall of Fame Award – Clarence Daniels, CMS Hospitality
AMAC Inclusive Leader Award – The Hudson Group
Local Small Business Champion Award – Michael Lawson
President’s Award – Brison Hardin, Concourse Concessions
Chairman’s Award – Ann McNeill, MCO Construction & Services, Inc.
AMAC Conference Founding Member Award – Leon Watkins, Posthumously Awarded
AMAC Conference Founding Member Award – Audrey Simmons, Retired
AMAC Conference Founding Member Award – Esterlene Lewis, Retired
AMAC Conference Founding Member Award – Clark Sharpe, Shellis Management Services
Airport Concessions Innovation and Inclusion Award – Fraport USA
Airport Design and Inclusion Award – Austin Commercial
Small Business Partner Award – Barbara Oliver, MBE Magazine
Advocate of the Year – Raymond Christy, Salt Lake City International Airport
Inclusive Leader Award – Stellar Partners
Airport of the Year Award – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Hall of Fame Award – Jon Mathiasen, Richmond International Airport
President’s Award – Jack Thomas, St. Louis County Government
Local Small Business Champion – Eddie Rye
Chairman’s Awards – Lance Lyttle and The Port of Seattle
Chairman’s Award—SSP America
President’s Award—Mamie Mallory, Federal Aviation Administration
Hall of Fame Award—Robin McCullum Diaz, Hudson Group
Airport AEC (Architectural, Engineering and Construction), Innovation and Inclusion Award—Frank Wengler, AECOM
Airport Top Flight Award—Indianapolis International Airport
Advocate of the Year Award—Bob Bouta, Avis Budget Group
Airport Concessions Award—Philadelphia International Airport
Small Business Award—VoltAir Consulting Engineers
Airport Architectural, Engineering, Construction (AEC) Innovation and Conclusion Award—Arthur Morton, Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc.
Airport Concessions and Inclusion Award—Tanya Allen, Hojeij Branded Foods/APU JV, LLC
Advocate of the Year Award—Janus C. Holder, EJE Travel Retailer
AMAC Strategic Partner Award—Eric Zwiercan, Philadelphia International Airport
Airport Top Flight Award—Cheryl Hawkins, Tampa International Airport
Hall of Fame Award—William Kirk, K & L Gates, LLP
President’s Award—Ajay Ravulapalli, MaMa Organic Herbs
Chairman’s Award—Courtney C. Thornton, The Hudson Group