Gregory Kelly, Executive Director of the Savannah Airport Commission has been selected as Director of the Year, Small Airports Division, by Airport Experience News. Kelly has been with the Savannah Airport Commission for nearly his entire career. He joined the organization in 1989 was named executive director in 2014. 

“Greg has served SAV and the Savannah/Hilton Head community for more than 30 years and has overseen extraordinary growth for the airport during his tenure at the helm,” said Melissa K. Montes, publisher, and portfolio director of Airport Experience News. “In addition, his work on behalf of the entire North American airport industry has been extraordinary, with involvement in both Airports Council International-North America and the American Association of Airport Executives, as well as with the much-heralded Southeast Airports Disaster Operations Group (SEADOG).” 

“This recognition by Airportxnews is another example of Greg’s many professional accomplishments and leadership qualities,” said Savannah Airport Commission Chairman Steve Green. “In all facets of his career at the airport, locally and nationally, he has led with integrity, expertise, hard work and team building. Throughout his career, Greg has assembled great teams of employees, made them feel like a family and coaxed out extraordinary results.” 

“His lists of accomplishments are too great to mention individually but one common thread binds them all together, Greg Kelly gives all credit to the people he has hired, trained, and manages,” continued Steve Green. “As with his other numerous awards, he says it is an honor for all of the Savannah/Hilton Head employees, not himself.” 

Kelly said his entire team contributes to the ongoing success of the small hub airport, which was recently voted the number-one airport in the United States by Travel + Leisure readers.

“While I appreciate being recognized by AXN individually, I consider this to be a reflection on our entire organization,” Kelly said. “I am fortunate to have a great team of employees and a great Board of Commissioners to make sure our airport operates very well. We also have wonderful business partners who contribute to our overall success, and who help us maintain the reputation we have as being a great airport to do business with. It is with this in mind that I thank AXN for recognizing the job we do to make Savannah/Hilton Head International a top small hub airport.”

Kelly is the first of three directors of the year to be named by AXN for 2022. AXN’s selections for the medium and large airport categories will be revealed in the coming weeks. All will be featured in a special December 2022 Leadership Issue of Airport Experience News and will be honored at the 2023 Airport Experience Conference.