AMAC Legends & Leapers: January 2025
AMAC Legends & Leapers is a virtual conversation series featuring an aviation industry legend and leaper.
Legend
Ralph Cutié is the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Miami International Airport. He oversees operations at MIA and four general aviation airports in the Miami area, which together generate $118 billion in business revenue and support nearly 700,000 direct, indirect, related, and induced jobs. MIA leads the way, handling more than 52 million passengers and 2.7 million tons of cargo annually, placing it among America’s busiest international passenger and cargo airports.
Previously, Mr. Cutié served as Assistant Director for Facilities Management and Engineering, overseeing the largest and most diverse division within the Aviation Department, comprised of more than 440 employees and a budget of $123 million.
Mr. Cutié is a 33-year County veteran with over 36 years of experience in the fields of project control, critical path method (CPM) scheduling, project management, construction contracting and construction claims administration.
Mr. Cutié obtained his degree in construction management from Florida International University in 1989. He possesses numerous certificates in scheduling, project management design-build, and claims administration from the National Transit Institute and served as an instructor in the County’s Construction Manager Training Program – specifically in the areas of project scheduling, project documentation, and construction claims and disputes. He is married with three children and lives in southwest Miami-Dade.
Leaper
Michelle Hoysick is a business developer in the Colorado transportation industry. She has a proven track record as a capture manager for successful marketing pursuits in new markets. She has experience in project management, program management, construction management, civil engineering,
inspection, and maintenance services for large capital improvement programs. She is well versed in multi-discipline projects using design-build, progressive design-build, public private partnerships and design-bid-build project delivery methods. With experience in engineering and construction projects valued at more than $6 billion, Ms. Hoysick is knowledgeable in several industry sectors, including highway, water, rail, transit, aviation and commercial infrastructure. She is active in the Colorado transportation industry including the current WTS Colorado President.
Ms. Hoysick has directed Design-Build (DB) teaming and pre-bid activities for DB/PDB/P3 Transportation Projects across the country with a focus on project in excess of $100M. Her specific expertise includes DB Contracts, Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), Alternative Technical Concepts (ATCs), Technical Proposals, pre-bid engineering and post-award DB engineering oversight.
Moderators
Lauryn Mangum Reed is the Executive Vice President for TMG Hospitality USA, the Phoenix-based parent company, comprised of LAM Holdings, TMG Services, PMCS, and TMG Development; Award-winning Food and Beverage and Retail operations within airports, real estate and land development Lauryn is also the owner of Lauryn Ashley Management and Consulting, a boutique company that lends its expertise to individuals and small businesses for development, consulting, RFP creation and proposal assistance.
Over the last decade, Lauryn’s aviation industry experience has spanned from ACDBE (small business) start-up and operations to business development, strategic planning, innovation, and technology for multi-million- and billion-dollar international organizations. She is the Airport Minority Advisory Board (AMAC) Trade Board Secretary, AMAC’s Emerging Leaders Committee Chair, and Airport Council International North America (ACI-NA) Business Diversity Steering Committee member. She volunteers with the Salvation Army Metro Phoenix on its board initiatives.
Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Lauryn left for warmer winters. She earned her BS in Business with a Minor in Communications from Arizona State University, where she became a Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member. As a wife and mom of 2 littles, daughter Londyn and son Legend, Lauryn has an affinity for people, representation, and diversity in her day-to-day life. She strongly advocates for work/life synergy and empowers women to do everything they desire.
Ricky Dorell Smith is responsible for the management and operations of Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI Marshall), Martin State Airport, and regional aviation activities throughout the State of Maryland.
Mr. Smith, a 34-year transportation professional, returned to Maryland after serving as Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Airport System, which includes Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Burke Lakefront Airport. In addition, he was responsible for overseeing the development and management of the City’s lakefront properties.
Since returning to BWI Marshall, Mr. Smith has led the airport to five (5) consecutive record-setting years for passengers including restoring BWI Marshall as the busiest airport in the Washington/Baltimore region and the Best Airport in North America for Customer Service according to Airport Council International. Establishing a culture of performance, customer service, safety, and innovation, the airports have received several other national and regional awards for customer service, capital development, and marketing including an Emmy Awards in 2018 and 2019. In 2017, the LaunchPad program was started to enable minority-owned micro-businesses the opportunity to participate in BWI Marshall’s thriving food and retail program without barriers to entry. In 2015, he launched the BWI Marshall Summer Youth Initiative aimed at introducing youth in Baltimore City to careers in aviation and transportation. To date, over 100 youths have participated in this program.
Prior to his service in Cleveland, Mr. Smith served as the Chief Operating Officer for the MAA, where he helped lead BWI Marshall Airport through a $2 billion expansion program, increased air service throughout the world, and the creation of a new food and retail program. Prior to returning to the MAA, after a two-year departure, Ricky served as the Deputy Administrator for the Maryland State Highway Administration. In addition, he served in the private sector for several years with International Business Machines, H&R Block Business Services, The May Company, and others.
Ricky holds an Accounting degree from Howard University and an Executive MBA from Loyola University in Maryland. He is a graduate of several leadership programs, including the Greater Baltimore Committee and Leadership Cleveland. He is active on several national and local boards and industry associations including the Airport Minority Advisory Council where he serves as Board Chair, American Association of Airport Executives, Greater Washington Board of Trade, Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Board of Directors, the BWI Business Partnership, World Trade Center Institute, Greater Baltimore Urban League where he serves as Board Chair, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture where he serves as Vice Board Chair, Morgan State University School of Communications Board of Advisors and the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center Board of Directors.
He has been recognized as the ‘Best State Executive for Minority Business Enterprise’ by the Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association (2022), ‘Leon C. Watkins Guardian Award’ recipient by Airports Council International/North America (2020), ‘Man of the Year’ by Women Transportation Seminar (2019), ‘Leadership in Excellence’ by Leadership Anne Arundel (2019), ‘Power 10 CEO’ by the Baltimore Business Journal (2018), ‘People Who Move America’ by the Boys Scouts of America (2018), ‘Thomas G. Newsome Founder’s Leadership Award’ by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (2018), ‘Influential Marylander’ by The Daily Record (2017), the Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association ‘Black History Hero’ award (2017), ‘Most Influential CEO in Northeast Ohio’ by Crain’s Magazine (2014, 2013), ‘National Executive of the Year’ by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (2010), and ‘Congressional Achievement Award’ from Congressman Elijah Cummings (2006).
