Awards and Recognition
ACI-NA has a rich history of recognizing best practices and individuals through its awards programs. Here is background information about each.
Excellence in Airport Marketing & Communications Contest
The Excellence in Airport Communications Contest has been in existence since 1990. The Airports Council International-North America’s Marketing & Communications Committee sponsors this annual competition. This contest allows ACI-NA to recognize the quality of work, abundance of talent, and creativity within the marketing and communications field of the airport industry.
The “Excellence in Airport Marketing & Communications Contest” honors airport professionals that offer expertise and talent in a variety of categories including web site design, annual reports, newsletters, advertising campaigns, special event planning and more.
A major component of the contest is the judges’ selection of the recipient of the Peggy G. Hereford Excellence in Communications Award. This award symbolizes overall achievement in an airport’s marketing and public relations programs, honoring the creativity and effectiveness of the airport’s staff.
Entries: 2008 entry forms are now available. Click here to download the 2008 Call for Entries (PDF). For additional information, contact Megan Miller (mmiller@aci-na.org) at (202) 861-8080.
Deadline: Final deadline for all entries is in June. Winners are announced in August and recognized at the ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition.
ACI-NA Environmental Achievement Awards
Through June 20, 2008 ACI-NA will accept entries for the 2008 ACI-NA Environmental Achievement Awards. Since 1997, ACI-NA has granted the Awards to recognize its airport members that strive to protect and preserve the environment through their programs, initiatives and projects. Established by the ACI-NA Environmental Affairs Committee, the annual Awards acknowledge the hard work and achievements of ACI-NA members by promoting awareness more broadly within the airport community, the general public and regulators of the many notable and innovative efforts being undertaken by environmental professionals at airports.
Environmental and planning staffs at our airports deserve recognition for their efforts in developing and implementing programs that protect the environment while keeping their airport’s projects on schedule, minimizing community and regulatory controversy and using creative means of maximizing overall cost-benefit.
Awards may be granted in the categories of environmental management, mitigation and outreach/education/community involvement. Entries will be judged based on environmental benefit, innovation, effective implementation, widespread applicability, and cost effectiveness.
Entries: 2008 entry forms are now available (PDF file). For entry guidelines, please contact Jessica Steinhilber (jsteinhilber@aci-na.org) at (202) 293-8500.
Deadline: Entries must be received in June of each year. Winners are announced in the summer and recognized at the ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition.
ACI-NA Richard A. Griesbach Excellence in Airport Concessions Contest
The ACI-NA Excellence in Concessions Contest honors the contributions of Richard A. Griesbach, whose influence on the commercial development of airports extended far beyond his employment with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. At the 10th annual awards ceremony in 2007, the category of Concessions Person of the Year was added.
The purpose of the ACI-NA Excellence in Airport Concessions Contest is to inspire creativity in the industry and to recognize innovative and outstanding airport concessions. These awards help to demonstrate the growing importance of concessions to the total airport experience.
One airport will receive the ‘Griesbach Overall Award of Excellence’. To be eligible, an airport member must submit entries in both Best Food & Beverage Program and Best Retail/Specialty Program categories.
Entries: For additional entry information, contact Rajni Tripathi (rtripathi@aci-na.org) (202) 293-8500.
Deadline: Entries are due every summer, and the winners are announced at the ACI-NA Concessions Conference each fall.
William E. Downes Jr. Memorial Award
One of ACI-NA’s most prestigious awards, 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.
This award is received by individuals who have retired from the aviation industry. Nominees for this award possess outstanding leadership in promoting the cause of airports and aviation as a vital part of the local, national or worldwide aviation community. Candidates will have proven successful work for acceptance, development and support of needed airport programs. They will also have been instrumental in fostering cooperation among various aviation entities with the ultimate goal of improving the airport. Finally, the individual will be known for his/her initiative of fostering or creating an innovative approach to solving vital issues facing the aviation industry currently, and implementing new approaches in planning for future aviation development. (The nominee must meet at least one of these criteria).
Entries: For additional entry information, contact Eileen Denne (edenne@aci-na.org) (202) 293-8500.
Deadline: The 2008 entries are due on May 9. The winner will be announced at the ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Boston on Sept. 24.