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A Humble Beginning, Now 40+ Years Strong

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READ MORE OF AMAC'S HISTORY

Founding Members

  • John Greer, Nashville Airport Authority (Nashville, TN)
  • Esterlene Lewis, Miami-Dade Aviation Department (Miami, FL)
  • Robert Crews, Crews Hospitality (Linden, NJ)
  • Dave Miller, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, GA)
  • Dianne Waters, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (Dallas, TX)
  • Clara Axam (Atlanta, GA)
  • Melvin McCray, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, GA)
  • Felker Ward, Jr., Concessions International (Atlanta, GA)
  • Regynald Washington
  • John Noble, St. Louis Lambert International Airport (St. Louis, MO)


First Board of Directors

Board Officers

  • Chair: John Greer, Nashville Airport Authority (Nashville, TN)
  • Vice Chair: Felker Ward, Jr., Concessions International (Atlanta, GA)
  • Secretary: Geri Castillo (Denver, CO)
  • Treasurer: Esterlene Lewis, Miami-Dade Aviation Department (Miami, FL)


Board Members

  • Robert Crews (Linden, NJ)
  • Thelma Duggins (Silver Spring, MD)
  • Sue Ling Gin (Chicago, IL)
  • Dave Miller, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, GA)
  • John Noble, St. Louis Lambert International Airport (St. Louis, MO)
  • Reba Smallwood (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Dianne Waters, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (Dallas, TX)

 

First Members

  • Individual: Robert M. Blackwell, Detroit Commissioner
  • Business: Geri Castillo
  • Corporation: Host International, Inc.; Company Representative: Clarence Daniels, Jr.
  • Airport: Memphis – Shelby County Airport Authority

 

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