Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – named after Maynard Jackson, the first Black mayor of Atlanta and of any major city in the South, is the busiest and most efficient airport in the world.
It generates $34.8 billion economic impact for metro Atlanta and provides more than 63,000 jobs on-site, and is the state’s largest employer. The airport offers nonstop service to more than 150 domestic and 70 international destinations including major commercial centers in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and South and Central America.
For a decade, Dr Kofi Smith served as President & CEO of the Atlanta Airlines Terminal Company (AATC). He managed more than $945 million in operations and approximately $650 million in capital improvement construction projects during his tenure.
“If you’d told me then that I’d be CEO of a company I’d have laughed at you. I hardly had any money, was sleeping out of my car still chasing my dream in 2006, and in 2010 I’m going to be working in aviation and eventually run the company? Not a chance. God has blessed me and surrounded me with amazing people,” Smith said about his humble beginnings.
But for a while, a corporate career, notwithstanding leading the world’s busiest airport was beyond Smith’s imagination. He had his sights set on making the NFL. However, an injury ended his dream of becoming a professional football player. Smith barely had any money and was sleeping in his car. He decided to utilize his industrial engineering degree from Georgia Tech and got a job at Milliken & Company. It was the start of an exceptional professional career.
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At just age 35, Smith joined the Atlanta Airlines Terminal Company (AATC) as president and CEO. He is the youngest person to accept this role. From 2010 to December 2020, Smith was in charge of leading the strategic direction and management of all building operations and facility maintenance responsibilities for the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Smith and his team oversaw the facility operations and building maintenance of 7.2 million square feet of the airport’s passenger terminal complex, serving 55,000 employees and more than 100 million passengers annually.
“I had to learn to think of myself as a company, and when the AATC opportunity presented itself, I realized I was at my strategic inflection point with my prior company and that’s what allowed me to make the move. I actually knew very little about the aviation industry, but I embraced the challenge and the future opportunity to one day lead the company,” Smith explained how he excelled as president and CEO of the AATC.
Smith grew the AATC by 118 percent. His participation on the Airport Cooperation Research Program of the Transportation Research Board and National Academy’s research panel helped further local and international travel projects. With a focus on sustainability, the AATC created $9.4 million in energy savings for the facility in just three years, significantly exceeding previous company efforts. The was the largest recipient of Georgia Power energy efficiency rebates for fiscal 2018, at about $971,500.
Additionally, Smith grew the company’s employee base by 109%, and created more positions and employment opportunities for Atlanta residents. The AATC was consistently recognized as one of the city’s Top 20 “Best Places to Work” for medium-sized companies by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. In 2018, Smith was recognized with the publication’s Most Admired CEO Award.
Beyond the AATC, Smith has sat on a research panel evaluating the airline and airport industries under the Airport Cooperative Research Program of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and National Academies. He serves as a part-time lecturer in the School of Building Construction at his alma mater. Smith also serves as board Chairman of Goodwill of North Georgia and the National Black Child Development Institute. He serves on the boards of Goodwill Industries International, the Georgia Tech Advisory Board, and as a Trustee for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation.
