For AMAC’s 40th anniversary, the organization embarked on a strategic planning process to advance its vision of creating economic equity, access and wealth for minorities and women in the aviation and aerospace industries. In light of increasing legislative and social disruptors, AMAC’s mission is more important than ever to preserve, defend and grow opportunities for its stakeholders.
Our lobbying team worked tirelessly with Congress to include airports and concessions operators, particularly ACDBEs, on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding bills leading to two relief packages.
AMAC members testified before Congress on the importance of the DBE/ACDBE federal programs.
We teamed up with the DENCommerce Hub to advise AMAC members on how to apply for Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Main Street Lending programs. AMAC members received free advice and a team to conduct research to help maximize funding.
As the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the aviation industry, AMAC launched a grass-roots campaign to #savethetravelexperience. The mission was to develop a viral campaign designed to influence lawmakers working on COVID-19 relief packages to specifically include airport-related businesses in legislation.
On September 11–12, 2019, the first AMAC Economic Opportunity and Policy Forum was held and welcomed aviation leaders, government officials and business representatives from across the aviation industry to Washington, DC to exchange ideas, share entrepreneurship best practices and seek innovation in airport diversity and inclusion.
The AMAC Political Action Committee (AMAC PAC) works to further AMAC’s direct advocacy and educational initiatives on Capitol Hill by making monetary contributions to federal candidates and political action committees and caucuses who understand and support equity in airport contracting and employment. The AMAC PAC is non-partisan and provides our members with the means for concerted political action.
The objective of the A Winning Approach: Recommendations to Realize Greater ACDBE and DBE Goods and Services Supplier Opportunities and Participation Within the Car Rental Industry white paper was to provide recommendations that enhance the participation of certified minority and women-owned firms as goods or services suppliers in the car rental companies’ airport concessions operations.
On June 8, 2014, the first AMAC Foundation Celebrating Women in Aviation program was held in Denver, CO at the 30th AMAC Airport Business Diversity Conference to foster, promote and applaud the success of women in aviation and aerospace-related businesses and career achievements. Photo (Left to Right): Rhonda Arnold; Audrey Simmons; Rhonda Fields; and Amber Gooding.
The first official golf tournament was held in 1998 at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC. This event now honors one of AMAC’s own tireless servants, Bill Walker. Mr. Walker’s affiliation with the AMAC Airport Business Diversity Conference began in Los Angeles, CA in 1988 while he was Vice President at Pacific State Airlines. Walker began planning the golf tournament shortly after and continued to organize until illness prevented him from doing so.
In October 1997, the AMAC Board of Directors formally established the AMAC Foundation, formerly known as the Airport Minority Advisory Council Educational & Scholarship Program, Inc. (AMACESP).
NAMBAC Corp. was renamed to the Airport Minority Advisory Council Corp.