FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Boston Logan International Airport Wins Overall Griesbach Award of Excellence in 2008 ACI-NA Concessions Contest

25 Airport Concessions Programs Honored

TORONTO (Nov. 12, 2008) — Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) today recognized  Boston Logan International Airport’s Terminal A as the Richard A. Griesbach Award of Excellence winner in the 2008 Airport Concessions Contest. Susan Bush, senior manager of concessions program for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was also recognized as ACI-NA’s Concessions “Person of the Year”.

Judges for the 2008 Concessions Conference Awards said Boston Logan has created a signature concessions program that reinforces Massport’s renowned standards for passenger service and provides the quintessential Boston Experience. The positioning and creative merchandise mix of retail and food service outlets throughout the terminal gives it a spacious and open feel.

According to the judges, Susan Bush has been a vital part of the aviation concessions industry for over 20 years. Earlier in her career, Bush managed the marketing efforts for the Port Authority at their London business development office and served as a financial analyst for major real estate projects, including the World Trade Center.  Over the years, Susan has parlayed her love of aviation and retail into her current role as the Senior Manager of Concessions programs, where she supervises the management and planning of 18 distinct terminals at the Port Authority’s four airports. The airport terminals cover nearly 500,000 square feet of space, generate about $1.4 billion in sales and serve roughly 110 million passengers annually.

The awards were announced during the 2008 ACI-NA Airport Concessions Conference in Toronto, at which more than 300 representatives of the North American airport concessions industry are in attendance. 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.

This year’s contest received more than 120 entries from airports of all sizes throughout the U.S. and Canada. In addition to the Greisbach award, 25 other airports were recognized for their superior concessions programs in categories including:

Overall Griesbach Award of Excellence
Boston Logan International Airport – Terminal A

Concessions Person of the Year
Susan Bush, Senior Manager, Concession Programs for JFK, EWR, LGA & SWF

Best New Food and Beverage Concept
1st: Sapphire Lounge at JFK International Airport
2nd: Rogue Ales at Portland International Airport
3rd: CIBO Express Gourmet Markets at Orlando International Airport
Honorable Mention: Beaverton Bakery at Portland International Airport

Best New Retail Concept
1st: Talie at Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport
2nd: Life Is Good at Chicago Midway International Airport
3rd: Solstice Sunglass Boutique at JFK International Airport

Best Consumer Services Concept
1st: 10 Minute Manicure at Toronto Pearson International Airport

Best “Green” Concession Practice or Concept
1st: Concessions Grease Recycling Program at Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport

Best Food and Beverage Program – MEDIUM AIRPORT
1ST: Vancouver International Airport – International Departures Terminal
Honorable Mention: Nashville International Airport – Terminals A, B, Main & PreSecurity Area

Best Food and Beverage Program – LARGE AIRPORT
1st: Philadelphia International Airport – B/C Connector
2nd: Baltimore/Washington International Airport – All
3rd: Boston Logan International Airport– Terminal B
Honorable Mention: Orlando International Airport – Landside Terminal

Best Specialty Retail Program: - MEDIUM AIRPORT
1ST: Vancouver International Airport – International Departures Terminal
2nd: John Wayne Airport – Terminal A
3rd: TIE BETWEEN Halifax Stanfield International Airport – Main & OAK – Terminal 2 extension

Best Specialty Retail Program: LARGE AIRPORT
1ST: Newark Liberty International Airport – Terminal C
2nd: Orlando International Airport – Landside Terminal
3rd: Philadelphia International Airport – B/C Connector
Honorable Mention: Boston Logan International Airport – Terminal B

Best Convenience Retail Program: MEDIUM Airport
NO WINNERS

Best Convenience Retail Program: LARGE Airport
1ST: Newark Liberty International Airport – Terminal C
2nd: JKF International Airport– Terminal 8

Entries for this year’s contest were judged by an independent panel comprised of high-level professionals from each of the various disciplines reflected in the contest (i.e. food and beverage, retail mall development, consumer groups, architecture and academic communities). In addition to the independent panel, one representative from the previous year’s overall winner was also involved in the judging process.

The ACI-NA Excellence in Concessions Contest, which began in 1998, honors the contributions of Richard A. Griesbach, a long-time industry professional in airport concession programs.  Greisbach’s influence on the commercial development of airports extended far beyond his employment with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The Concessions Person of the Year category was added in 2007.

Previous winners of the prestigious Griesbach Award of Excellence include:

2007 – Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
2006 – Memphis International Airport—Concourse B
2005 – Edmonton International Airport—Central Hall
2004 – LaGuardia Airport—Central Terminal Building
2003 – No winner
2002 – Philadelphia International Airport
2001 – Calgary International Airport
2000 – Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport
1999 – Chicago O'Hare International Airport
1998 – Portland International Airport

About ACI-NA
Airports Council International - North America 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.  More than 400 aviation-related businesses are also members of the association, which is the largest of the five worldwide regions of Airports Council International.

CONTACT:
Victoria Houghton, vhoughton@aci-na.org, (202) 861-8080
Eileen Denne, edenne@aci-na.org, (202) 293-4537