San Antonio International Airport (SAT) has been recognized as the Airport of the Year by the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) at the 38th Annual AMAC Airport Business Diversity Conference’s Catalyst Awards in San Antonio. This esteemed award acknowledges SAT's exceptional contributions to advancing the goals of AMAC, particularly in promoting the full participation of minorities and women in employment and contracting opportunities within the aviation and aerospace industries.
Jesus Saenz, Director of Airports at the San Antonio Airport System (SAAS), expressed their honor in receiving this prestigious award. Saenz emphasized that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are deeply ingrained in the workforce culture of SAAS, aligning with AMAC's mission to enhance the San Antonio experience through transformation and talent. Saenz further extended their pride and appreciation to all team members at SAT and Stinson Municipal Airport.
One of the key initiatives that propelled SAT's recognition was the Aviation Equity Initiative program, which was launched in 2020. This program focused on cultural diversity education and achieved notable milestones, including 65 community engagements across seven school districts, airport tours for predominantly minority and historically disadvantaged students, collaboration with the Dee Howard Foundation to advocate for youth aviation education, and facilitating the FAA part 107 certification for teenagers to become peer mentors and instructors. Notably, SAT also invited students and 12 community organizations to participate in building a mobile flight simulator, benefiting over 2,000 students.
Furthermore, SAT's commitment to inclusionary hiring efforts resulted in the hiring and promotion of 114 employees in 2021, with over half of them being minorities.
The announcement of the Airport of the Year award was made at the Catalyst Awards Luncheon during the ongoing AMAC conference, hosted at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. The conference, which commenced on Saturday, will conclude tomorrow.
The Business Opportunity & Diversity Development (BODD) team at SAT received special recognition for their significant contributions in line with AMAC's mission. Barbara Patton, the BODD Manager at SAAS, highlighted SAT's exceptional achievement in meeting its Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) goals, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. SAT surpassed its overall ACDBE goals for Rental Car services, with more than $9 million going to Car Rental ACDBEs based on gross receipts. Similarly, for non-Car Rental services, SAT achieved an average goal of 32% based on gross receipts, resulting in more than $28 million going to Non-Car Rental ACDBEs. The cumulative ACDBE participation from 2021-2022 involved 58 ACDBEs and 8 Joint Ventures (JV) in FY22.
Patton also shared a success story of Chelsea's Sandwiches of Texas, which was initially decertified as an ACDBE but received assistance from the BODD team for recertification. Currently, Chelsea's has a contract with Rosario's Cantina, the Host JV Partner.
In addition to these accomplishments, SAT's efforts to support diversity and inclusion were reflected in their average Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Overall Goal Participation of 25% for FY21-22. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded grants totaling $33.1 million during this period, with over $12.5 million directed towards DBEs.
San Antonio International Airport's recognition as the Airport of the Year by AMAC underscores the airport's dedication to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the aviation industry. SAT's proactive initiatives, inclusive hiring practices, and commitment to supporting disadvantaged businesses have solidified its position as a leader in promoting diversity and equal opportunities.