CLE receives prestigious ACI-NA award

September 12, 2014

Press Releases

Cleveland, September 12th, 2014 – Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) has been recognized for its exceptional achievement in promoting and sustaining diversity in employment, professional development, and business development. On September 10, 2014 CLE received the 2014 ACI-NA Inclusion Champion Award from Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) during a North American conference held in Atlanta, GA.

"We strive to embrace inclusion in all that we do," said Airport Director Ricky Smith. "It is an honor to have our efforts recognized by the industry."

CLE, the 2014 Medium Hub Inclusion Champion Award winner, participated in a myriad of innovative initiatives aimed at increasing diversity in employment, professional development, and participation in business opportunities. As a result of CLE's efforts to expand inclusion of women and ethnic minorities in employment, over the last seven (7) years, the percentage of women and ethnic minority employees as segments of our total workforce increased 47% and 42%, respectively.

Currently, women account for 33% of CLE's workforce and ethnic minorities account for 49%.

As a part of CLE's efforts to encourage youth to consider aviation careers, the Next Generation (NextG) program annually offers over fifty (50) paid summer internships, twelve (12) college scholarships, and a variety of career development training opportunities. Nearly 70% of participants in the NextG Program are females and ethnic minority youth.

This success is the direct result of over fifty (50) business outreach events supported by CLE’s Emerging Business Enterprise Development Office, CLE's annual Synergy outreach event to nearly 1,200 women and minority-owned businesses as well as the successful launch of the federally-mandated Small Business Element (SBE) Program and the FAA-approved CLE Mentor/Protégé Program.

The Cleveland Airport System University (CAS U) provides career and leadership development opportunities to CLE's workforce. CAS U, in conjunction with CLE's expansive recruitment efforts, has contributed to an increase in women and ethnic minorities on CLE's senior management team by 167% and 48%, respectively. CLE's efforts to expand women and ethnic minority participation in business opportunities has resulted in women and ethnic minority annual participation on airport construction projects at 25% and airport concessions contracts at 44%.

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 employ more than 1.2 million people and account for $1.1 trillion in economic activity—or seven percent of the total U.S. workforce and eight percent of GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP.