San Antonio Airport System Team To Address Worldwide Audience At The SMART Airports Conference

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

August 11, 2021

CONTACT: Tonya Hope
210-207-1515
tonya.hope@sanantonio.gov

SAN ANTONIO (August 11, 2021) - San Antonio Airport System is pleased to announce four of its team members will be speaking at this year’s SMART Airports & Regions Conference held in San Antonio from August 16-18. This premiere three-day conference is not just for aviation executives but for those in transportation, energy, master planning or strategic development. This is an opportunity for networking and learning from professionals. The theme for this year’s conference is “Connectivity, Innovation and Opportunities”.

More than 70 panelists will address issues to include the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry, the use of technology to improve the customer experience, high level customer experience during COVID-19, planning for the future, maintaining high standards during a crisis and the San Airport System’s Strategic Development Plan.

Speakers from around the world will address the attendees and four of them are from the San Antonio Airport System. They include:

• Jesus H. Saenz, Jr. IAP, Director of Airports
• David Robbins, Chief Development Officer
• Syed Mehdi, Chief Strategy & Development Officer
• Ryan Hall, Principal Planner

Saenz oversees the overall operation of both the San Antonio International Airport and the Stinson Airport and his nearly 20-year career he has become an accredited executive of the Global ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Program and is a designated as an International Airport Professional. He has a strong background in strategic planning, capital improvement projects and customer experience. His panel will explore and discuss the positive impact that aviation has on economic development, job creation, tourism and trade.

“It’s exciting to be the host city for such a highly regarded conference. It’s an opportunity for national and international industry participants to see our airport and experience San Antonio’s hospitality,”

Robbins has over 22 years of experience in aviation public works, planning and large-scale environment and sustainability projects to include transforming an outdated system of intersecting runways into a modern parallel runway configuration. His panel of transportation and power experts will discuss airport microgrids, power failure and sustainability plans.

Mehdi’s role at the San Antonio Airport System is to lead the development of the Strategic Development Plan and the Master plan for the San Antonio International Airport. His 24 years of experience include executive or consultant roles in airport planning, air service development and airfield operations. His panel will delve into COVID-19 has impacted planning, financing and implementing airport development, capital development and improvement programs.

Hall’s 17-year aviation career includes long-range planning projects. He thrives on developing creative solutions to regional planning issues. His panel will discuss strategic development plans versus master plans. He’ll talk about how San Antonio has embraced a unique approach to future planning.

To learn more about the conference, other speakers or registration, please visit https://smart-airports.com/sar/

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.