
AMAC Legends & Leapers: September 2024
AMAC Legends & Leapers is a virtual conversation series featuring an aviation industry legend and leaper.
Legend
With a career in the aviation industry spanning more than 20 years, Francisco Cuellar has participated in airport bids in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Mexico. Some bids involved forming a consortium to invest in large infrastructure investments ranging from $100 million to $2.5 billion. Cuellar recently served as the Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer for Aerodom, which was owned by Latin American Airports Holding at the time. At Aerodom, Cuellar was responsible for leading the commercial development and marketing for six airports in the Dominican Republic. At that time, he also served as Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer in charge of Terminal 1 at Mexico City International Airport, which operated under concession by Latin American Airports Holding. Cuellar has held several executive-level positions at other airport groups in the region such as Chief Business Development Officer at ASUR, a private airport group in Mexico that operates several airports including airports in Cancún, Cozumel and Mérida. He was also responsible for creating the first professional airport marking team in Latin America. Cuellar holds a Global Master’s of Business Administration from The Thunderbird School of International Management, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from The Ohio State University and a Financial Valuation Executive Education Diploma from Harvard University.
Leaper
Maria Martinez is a business development professional and franchising expert with over 15 years of experience in sales and business growth. Maria currently serves as Director of Business Development for prime concessionaire Areas USA. Maria has also represented global brands such as UPS, Jack in the Box, Qdoba and most recently IHOP and Applebee’s. As a driven, goal oriented and self-motivated individual, she finds joy in growing businesses with valuable business propositions in concessions through the brands she represents. Prior to working in business development, Maria held positions in Finance and Accounting.
Maria was initially introduced to AMAC and airport concessions in 2016. Since then, she has embraced and worked passionately to support AMAC’S mission. Most recently Maria served as Secretary of AMAC’s Board of Directors for the 2020-2021 term and Chair of AMAC Governance & Ethics Committee for the 2018-2020 term, as well as the AMAC National Conference Committee in 2019. She currently serves as a volunteer member of the Governance and Performance Management Committee.
Maria is fluent in English and Spanish and holds a bachelor’s degree in international business from CETYS Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. She has also completed a Finance Certificate at UCSD. Maria immigrated from Mexico to San Diego, CA where she currently lives. She likes to listen to audiobooks in subjects of finance, personal development and business. She also enjoys travelling the world and spend time with friends and family.
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).
