AACATX First Quarter Membership Meeting in 2014

By Katherine Dress – Special Contributor
Images Courtesy of AACATX

DALLAS, TX (AsiaWorldMedia.com) – DFW airport is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year.  Since its inception, when the cities of Dallas and Ft. Worth agreed to build an airport on17,207 acres ( which is larger than the island of Manhattan) with 4 terminals and 3 runways, they have become a ‘global super hub’.  DFW now has 7 runways, 5 terminals in renovation, 60 million passengers and is now the fourth busiest airport in the world.  DFW is an ‘Airport City’ rather than a city airport.

This exciting news was shared by Executive Vice President, Ken Buchanan, with the membership and guests, at the Asian American Contractors Association of Texas (AACATX) First Quarter General Membership Meeting hosted by its Sponsor of the Year, DFW Airport.  It was an outstanding event where ‘much face’ was given to AACATX by the airport top executive officials:

Ken Buchanan – EVP Revenue Management of DFW International Airport. Image by AACATX

Linda Valdez Thompson, Executive Vice President of Administration and Diversity welcomed everyone to the meeting.  She is a long-time supporter of minority participation in Human Resource and Doing Business with DFW.  She leads the airport with award winning programs and invited AACATX as a Diversity Partner. 

William Tsao was welcomed and congratulated by the senior staff and the AACATX membership as the newly sworn in DFW Airport Board Member.  Board Director Tsao graciously pledged his full support to do his part for the airport and its goals as well as continuing to build the excellent relationship between the Asian community and the Airport.  He said, “For years I was on the ground, serving DART, but now I am taking flight, serving DFW Airport.  But it’s all transportation for Texas.”

DFW Airport is one of the most important economic engines of the region in North Texas.  They support:

* 31.6 billion-dollars in total economic impact annually

* 16.7 billion-dollars in cargo impact annually

* 143,000 jobs

* 9.4 billion-dollars in payroll

 
Perfecto Solis – VP of Airport Development and Engineering. Image by AACATX

EVP Buchanan and VP Airport Development and Engineering, Perfecto Solis, further informed the audience that the airport is spending $3 billion in Capital Investment renovating the terminals, building new structures, and other areas.  For these TRIP construction and other supplies or services, the airport has an outstanding and award winning program for DMWBE participation setting goals as high as 35% and exceeding these goals.  This participation is accomplished through the hard work of Business Diversity & Development lead by VP Tamela Lee whose office works closely with AACATX.

A special meeting has been organized for DSMWBEs to learn about doing business with the airport and have an opportunity to discuss any issues. 

The FREE event is called “Demystifying Doing Business with DFW Airport as D/S/M/WBE Firms”

Date:  April 2, 2014    Time: 9am to 12pm  

Place:  DFW Hyatt Regency, Enterprise 7&8, Terminal C

To RSVP:  Log on to https://DFW.diversitysoftware.com/ events.asp   or   Call 972-973-5516

This event includes discussions about every aspect of participation including concessions, airport and commercial development.

The audience was excited by the announcement of the Inaugural flight to Shanghai and Hong Kong in June.  Board Director Tsao shared the vision for future expansion to world destinations.  He emphasized the importance of Asia to the future expansion of the airport and saluted Asia and the Asian community here for generating the highest numbers in cargo and passengers to and from Asia.

After the presentations by the airport, AACATX VP Business Development talked for a moment of silence in memory of Former DFW Airport Board Chairman Robert Hsueh and in prayers for the safety of the missing Malaysian Flight.

Katherine Dress, AACATX President announced a new Constellation Award – The Orion Award, (The Great Hunter of the Sky leading in the search for world connection and the provider of much jobs and economic impact to North Texas) in the name of DFW Airport and Robert Hsueh, Orion Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

 
L-R: Anuj Patel and Katherine Dress from AACATX.  Image Courtesy of AACATX

Kathy closed by informing DFW, AACATX and Asian community seek to do business with the airport but also wish to support the airport goals and vision with new flights to Asian destinations and a program for the Incoming Inaugural flight from China in June.  More than 80 passengers have booked the flight through this effort including VIP city officials, investors, and cultural entertainment group.

There were many appreciative comments received from AACATX members and guests who were pleased with information and opportunities provided and believe such events greatly help their company to grow capacity.  They loved the opening of Doris by the organization to its members to meet.  One on one with top airport officials and to be “A Big Fish in a Small Tank” since AACATX is a small but far reaching organization.  For more information about AACATX, email kdress@usapdi.com

 Images Below Courtesy of AACATX

Luis Perez, VP Air Service Development of DFW International Airport