Former Louisville Airport General Manager Robert Michael Honored with ACI-NA Downes Award

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(October 3, 2007) - Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) today presented Robert S. Michael with the 2007 William E. Downes, Jr. Memorial Award during the Chairman's Honors Luncheon on Oct. 3, during ACI-NA's 16th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Kansas City. The Downes Award is ACI-NA's most prestigious award and recognizes individuals who sustain a career of outstanding contributions to the aviation industry.

"In his forty-year career in the airport management field, Bob has played an invaluable role in aviation and for ACI-NA in particular," said ACI-NA President Greg Principato. "The communities of Denver and Louisville will reap the benefits of the programs he developed for years to come."

Michael began his career in 1958 at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where he spent six years in managerial areas of operations, terminal service, property management, and administration. In 1964 he became the Airport Manager in Billings, Montana and four years later, Michael found himself in Milwaukee as the Airports Director, overseeing both General Mitchell Field and Lawrence J. Timmerman Airport.

Michael's next position took him to Denver, where he became Director of Aviation, managing the implementation of a $150M expansion and CIP and helping Denver grow into the nation's sixth busiest airport. In 1984 Michael was appointed General Manager for the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, where he conceived and oversaw the $700M Louisville Airport Improvement Program (LAIP) as well as the Innovative Housing Program for relocating airport neighbors most negatively impacted by noise. He remained in Louisville until he finished his airport management career, retiring in 1998.

Michael also contributed to the industry by serving on several boards and committees. He served as Chairman of ACI-NA from 1981 to 1982 and was a member of the ACI World Board of Directors from 1991 to 1997. He was active in the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) from 1970 to 1979, and he was a member of the Transportation Research Board, the Aviation System Capacity Advisory Committee, and Kentuckians for Better Transportation. Michael also served as a board member for Greater Louisville, Inc. (Louisville's Chamber of Commerce), the Greater Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Standiford Art Foundation, and Public Radio Partnership.

The William E. Downes, Jr. Memorial Award, first presented in 1978, was conceived shortly after the death of Bill Downes (1975) to honor his memory. Mr. Downes was the former commissioner of aviation for the City of Chicago (1959 until his death).

There have only been five winners of this prestigious award in the past 10 years. They include: in 1996, George J. Bean, retired executive director, Tampa International Airport; in 1997, James M. Davey, retired airport director, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport; in 1998, John F. Brown , founder, Landrum & Brown; in 2004, James A. Wilding, Former President and CEO, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; and in 2006, Jim DeLong, former Denver Airport Aviation Director.