A Humble Beginning, Now 40+ Years Strong
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.
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).
Concurrent with the FAA Minority Business Enterprise Compliance Conference held May 15–17, 1988 in Los Angeles, CA, a handful of individuals who were deeply concerned about the economic disparities and barriers preventing minorities and women from fair competition for airport business and jobs officially incorporated the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) on November 8, 1988, in Miami, FL.
Founding Members
- Melvin McCray, Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport (Now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport); Atlanta, GA
- Dave Miller, Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport (Now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport); Atlanta, GA
- John Noble, St. Louis Lambert International Airport; St. Louis, MO
- Felker Ward, Jr., Concessions International; Atlanta, GA
- Regynald Washington
First Board of Directors
- Vice Chair—Felker Ward, Jr., Concessions International; Atlanta, GA
- Secretary—Geri Castillo
First Board Members
- Sue Ling Gin
- Dave Miller, Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport (Now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport); Atlanta, GA
- John Noble, St. Louis Lambert International Airport; St. Louis, MO
- Reba Smallwood
- Dianne Waters
Note Regarding Founders: Although it has been widely accepted that Leon Watkins and Clark Sharpe were among the AMAC Founders, this is untrue as they were federal employees and were forbidden to belong to trade associations. Leon initiated a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Seminar in response to the promulgation of 49 CFR Part 26 (construction) by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). This Seminar was held annually in different locations, starting in the mid-1980s in Miami, FL. Leon also allowed a group of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) from across the U.S. to meet in his office to discuss and resolve a variety of challenges impacting their businesses. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) held and sponsored the joint seminar for several years. During this time, the AMAC Founders formalized and incorporated the Airport Minority Advisory Committee (AMAC) and joined forces with the FAA to hold the first AMAC/FAA MBE Conference. The FAA seminar continued apart from AMAC’s conference for several years and is now the Annual FAA National Civil Rights Training Conference for Airports, which is separate from the Annual AMAC Airport Business Diversity Conference.