Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

With more than 32 years of airport management experience, Louis E. Miller has a reputation for providing high-quality facilities and services while maintaining a low cost structure. Miller, who assumed the position of general manager for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in September 2010, also has a proven track record for effectively responding to changing economic and security conditions.

Miller’s vision for Hartsfield-Jackson is to provide world-class air transportation services in collaboration with all of the Airport’s partners, including the airlines, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Aviation Administration, concessionaires and all Airport tenants. Among his major priorities is the completion of the Airport’s new international terminal, the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal, scheduled to open in 2012. Miller is the former executive director and CEO of Tampa International Airport (TPA), where he served from 1996 until spring 2010. In that role, he also oversaw three general aviation facilities – Peter O. Knight, Plant City and Tampa Executive – and more than $1.3 billion in capital improvements. Several major capital projects completed with Miller’s direction in Tampa included:

• New 14-gate concourse (Airside E)
• New 15-gate concourse (Airside C)
• Refurbishment of the all three levels of the terminal building
• Expansion of parking facilities from 11,000 to 25,000 spaces
• New air cargo facilities for passenger and cargo airlines

Under Miller’s leadership, along with full cooperation of the TSA, TPA was one of the first airports in the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks to develop and install an outbound baggage handling system with a fully-integrated inline security system for checked baggage. In addition, Miller’s team expanded the number of security lanes at the four security checkpoints from 9 to 27.

A community-oriented professional, Miller served on several boards in Tampa, including the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the Policy Committee of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. He was chairman in 1994 of the North American region of Airports Council International (ACI) and currently serves as treasurer of ACI worldwide.

He started his career as an internal auditor for Salt Lake City Corporation and subsequently became a partner in a public accounting firm. Following that, he served for five years as deputy director of airports for the Salt Lake City Airport Authority and was responsible for finance and administration of the Airport Authority. He was promoted to executive director and served for 14 years as CEO.

A native of Salt Lake City, Miller was inducted into the Utah Travel Council’s Tourism Hall of Fame, received the 1993 Freedom of Enterprise Award from the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants and was presented with the 1994 Service to the Industry Award from the Utah Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America.

Other honors include: 2009 Patriot Award from the Florida Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, 2007 Gonzmart Family Ambassador Award for community service and hospitality, Southwest Airlines’ 2006 Good Neighbor Award, 2006 Good Government Award from the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, 2005 Spirit Award from the Hillsborough County Affirmative Action Council and 2003 Outstanding Public Administrator Award from the American Society for Public Administration.

Miller was educated at the University of Utah and is an accounting graduate of Stevens-Henager Business College in Salt Lake City. A licensed CPA, he also spent four years in the United States Army, earning the rank of Sergeant E-5.

BALRAM “B” BHEODARI
Interim Deputy Aviation General Manager

Balram “B” Bheodari has more than 25 years of experience in aviation leadership and management roles. He leads the operations, maintenance, security, planning and development, commercial development and information services teams to deliver world-class customer service and safe and secure Airport operations.

Most recently, Bheodari served as interim assistant general manager for Operations, Maintenance and Security (OMS). The OMS division comprises Airside Operations, Landside Operations, Airport Maintenance, Security, Ground Transportation, Airport Police, Airport Fire, Automated People Mover Systems and the Airport Centralized Command and Control Center.

In November 2009, Bheodari spearheaded activation of Hartsfield-Jackson’s consolidated rental car center and the ATL SkyTrain automated people mover. He is leading an activation team responsible for the opening of the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in 2012.

In 2008, he received the American Association of Airport Executives’ Accredited Airport Executive designation, which fewer than 10 percent of airport executives nationally have earned. In 2011, Bheodari earned the Airport International Professional accreditation from the Airports Council International and the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Before arriving at the Department of Aviation in 1999, Bheodari was assigned to Third U.S. Army headquarters in Atlanta and served as a senior aviation adviser to the chief of aviation in support of operations in Southwest Asia.

Bheodari graduated from Troy University with a Bachelor of Science in aviation management. He is an instrument-rated rotary wing pilot and retired from the Army with 22 years of active military service in the aviation branch.

RICHARD L. DUNCAN
Interim Assistant General Manager,
Operations, Maintenance & Security

Richard L. Duncan, a Certified Protection Professional, became interim assistant general manager for Operations, Maintenance and Security (OMS) on July 18, 2011. The OMS division comprises Airside Operations, Landside Operations, Airport Maintenance, Security, Ground Transportation, Airport Police, Airport Fire, Automated People Mover Systems and the Airport Centralized Command and Control Center.

Duncan is responsible for day-to-day operations and regulatory compliance at the Department of Aviation to ensure the efficient, safe and secure movements of about 240,000 passengers and 2,700 aircraft operations each day.

Duncan is also responsible for developing and implementing emergency response plans. He regularly coordinates with federal, state and local agencies — including the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation — to implement rules, regulations and procedures.

Duncan joined the Department of Aviation in May 1996. He held several positions in the Aviation Security division, including director of Security since March 1999. As director, he ensured a safe and secure environment at Hartsfield-Jackson and provided technical and security oversight for the design and implementation of security enhancements and development projects.

A retired commissioned military police officer, Duncan has performed challenging law enforcement and security management duties internationally. Duncan is Board Certified in Security Management by ASIS International, the largest international organization for security professionals. He is also Certified in Homeland Security by the American Board for Certification in Homeland Security.

He is a past chairman of the Airports Council International–North America (ACI-NA) Public Safety and Security Committee and a past chairman of the Greater Atlanta Chapter of ASIS International. In 2004, Access Control and Security Systems Magazine named him Security Director of the Year. In 2006, he was named one of the 25 Most Influential Security Executives by Security Magazine, Solutions for Enterprise Security Leaders . He also was featured in the Corporate Brass Section of “Who’s Who in Black Atlanta,” ninth edition.

Duncan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice at the University of Florida and a Master of Science degree in education at the University of Southern California. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

ARNALDO RUIZ
Assistant General Manager, Commercial Development & Customer Service

Arnaldo Ruiz joined the Department of Aviation at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in March 2007 as the assistant general manager for Commercial Development. His responsibilities include overseeing all airline and nonairline revenue-producing assets for the organization, including properties and airlines affairs, parking and concessions. He also is responsible for the Airport’s customer service programs, innovations and new business development, which includes the recruitment of new passenger and cargo service to Atlanta.

Ruiz recently earned the International Airport Professional (IAP) designation through the Airports Council International/International Civil Aviation Organization Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP).

Before joining Hartsfield-Jackson, Ruiz was senior vice president for business development at the American Heart Association. He was responsible for the organization’s strategy, sales development, national accounts and development and implementation of new products.

Ruiz worked for 22 years with Delta Air Lines Inc., where his positions included head of multinational and global corporate sales for Latin America and the Caribbean and general manager of alliances for Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean. He also held leadership positions in human resources, consumer marketing, reservations sales and information technology.

Ruiz is a graduate of Georgia State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

JIM DRINKARD, P.E.
Assistant General Manager, Planning & Development

Jim Drinkard has more than 30 years of airport planning and engineering experience and began his career as a design engineer working on the original midfield design for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 1977.

He returned to Hartsfield-Jackson in 2000 as a consultant planning manager prior to his current appointment as assistant general manager. Drinkard also served as co-director of Planning for the Department of Aviation with primary focus on the $6 billion Capital Improvement Program.

Previously, he served as consultant project manager for several major projects at Orlando International Airport, including the major new fourth parallel runway, North Crossfield taxiway bridge and South Terminal complex infrastructure development. He also served as a consultant project manager for major airfield and landside development projects at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Houston Intercontinental Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Charleston International Airport, Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Huntsville International Airport, Savannah International Airport and Philadelphia International Airports.

Drinkard has been actively involved in the Airports Council International – North America Technical Committee, Consulting Engineers Council of Georgia, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Drinkard is a native Atlantan and holds a Bachelors of Civil Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

ROOSEVELT COUNCIL JR.
Assistant General Manager/CFO

Roosevelt Council Jr. became assistant general manager/CFO on July 11, 2011. He is responsible for all accounting, budgeting, financial analysis and forecasting, procurement and treasury operations at the Airport.

Council has more than 20 years of experience as a financial professional in public accounting, communications, transportation logistics and the public sector. He joined the City of Atlanta in 2009 as budget and fiscal policy chief and later served as deputy chief financial officer, both under former Mayor Shirley Franklin. Prior to joining the Airport, he served as interim CFO for the City of Atlanta under Mayor Kasim Reed.

Before his employment with the City of Atlanta, Council was CFO of the Georgia Technology Authority, where he was responsible for general accounting, budget, cost accounting, financial reporting, payroll and strategic planning.

He is a graduate of Memphis State University, the Harvard University Executive Leadership Program and the Georgia Leadership Council.

MYRNA WHITE
Director, Marketing and Stakeholder Engagement
Myrna White manages the Marketing and Stakeholder Engagement unit for the Department of Aviation at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Her management skills are diverse, as she oversees business units that focus on government and community engagement, media/public relations, international engagement, special events, graphic design and web content.

With an aviation career spanning 20 years, White has worked to make an impact in every function in which she has served the Department. She began her tenure conducting public information workshops to educate the community about the Airport’s plans for a fifth runway. She was charged with gaining the community’s acceptance of this critical project. The $1.1 billion runway, dubbed “the most important runway in America,” opened in May 2006.

In addition to influencing public policy and promoting a positive image of the Airport, White oversees the development and implementation of brand guidelines for the Department of Aviation. Whether through her Department role or her work with Airports Council International, the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and the Arts Clayton board of directors, White has a proven track record of leadership acumen and community engagement. In 2006, both the Georgia Senate and the House of Representatives passed resolutions commending White for her professional leadership and service to the community.

White is a graduate of the Regional Leadership Institute and Leadership Clayton. She is a former Big Sister of the Year (Big Brothers/Big Sisters Inc.), an Outstanding Georgia Citizen (Secretary of State Cathy Cox) and one of Georgia’s Most Powerful and Influential Women in Government (Women Looking Ahead magazine). White also has been named to the list of Atlanta’s Top Women of Influence (Atlanta Business League) since 2006. Featured in “Who’s Who in Black Atlanta” for the last several years, White was one of 37 women highlighted in a special section of the 2007 edition called “Female Powerhouses.”

A graduate of the University of Georgia School of Journalism, she also has completed the Emory University Executive Education Management Development Program.

MARSHAN ODEN
Director of Human Resources & Organizational Development

Marshan Oden was named interim director of Human Resources and Organizational Development for the Department of Aviation on January 3, 2011, and was made permanent in that position in July. Before this appointment, she served as the manager of Human Resources, overseeing human resources policies, recruitment, employee relations, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) compliance and front office administration.

Oden, who has more than 16 years of experience in human resources and leadership development, serves as the general manager’s senior adviser for strategic personnel and organizational matters and as a member of the Airport’s senior staff. The director leads the Human Resources and Training, Safety and Organizational Development units.

Oden works to ensure an inclusive, diverse work force; manages the development of policies and procedures; directs the development, administration and coordination of employee programs; evaluates the culture and offers changes to ensure objectives; directs the coordination of strategic training and developmental initiatives; directs research, analysis and reporting activities; and identifies technical assistance services offered by public and private organizations to mitigate potential challenges to employee engagement.

Before joining the Department of Aviation in 2004, she worked at The Boeing Co. in various human resources functions.

A native of Los Angeles, Oden earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Tuskegee University in Alabama. In 2002, she earned a master’s degree in human resources from Chapman University in Orange County, Calif.

SHARON HEARD-JONES
Interim Director of Aviation Information Systems

Sharon Heard-Jones became interim director of the Department of Information Technology–Aviation (DIT-Aviation) unit on January 1, 2012. The division comprises the Aviation IT Network Services, Aviation IT Application Services, Aviation IT Strategic Services, Project Management, Information Security and Desktop Support units.

Heard-Jones, who has more than 17 years of IT experience, is responsible for implementing and integrating technologies to support the Department of Aviation’s strategic objectives. She provides leadership and a clear technological vision for the Department of Aviation and its stakeholders. Heard-Jones ensures that the DIT-Aviation plan is aligned with the Airport’s overall business goals. She advises staff on notable changes within the information systems industry and recommends appropriate investments. She supports the activation of new technology platforms to help reduce financial costs and improve efficiency.

Heard-Jones provides IT standards, technical specifications and operational support for key Airport systems, such as computer-aided dispatch (CAD) and fingerprint database systems, and is conducting factory testing on the new parking revenue control system at the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal.

She joined the Department of Aviation in 1996 as a help desk support technician and has served in many other capacities, including system analyst, system administrator, report developer, business and system application manager, and application services manager. As the application services manager, Heard-Jones was responsible for managing database administration, website administration, web development management, system administration, project management for team projects, strategic and business planning, budget development and administration within DIT-Aviation.

In August 2010, Heard-Jones provided development support and oversight for the implementation of the Airport’s first mobile website, geared toward the traveling public. She also oversaw the commission of the Airport Safety and Operational Compliance System (ASOCS), which allows the Airport to manage and maintain federal compliance. In the same year, she implemented a failover database solution for the gate management system and supported other business systems, such as the vehicle reservation system. In 2009, she was responsible for the redesign and development of the Airport’s Wi-Fi splash website. She has been an instrumental leader in the implementation of other systems, such as the Airport’s PROPworks accounts receivable and the City of Atlanta’s Oracle ERP systems.

Heard-Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in information technology from American InterContinental University. She completed the Emory University Executive Education Management Development Program and is a graduate of the Pathbuilders Achieva leadership program for women.

WILLIE SELF
Senior Audit Manager

Willie Self is responsible for all financial, operational and construction audit activities and reports to the general manager. The Internal Audit unit provides independent, professional and objective assurance and consulting services to improve Hartsfield-Jackson’s operations. Internal Audit evaluates and improves the effectiveness of risk management, controls and governance processes.

Before joining Hartsfield-Jackson in August 1990, Self had 15 years of management experience in auditing, finance and systems/procedures with Fortune 100 corporations. He managed internal controls and audit functions, co-chaired a revenue cycle steering committee and participated on an executive finance group established to identify ways to enhance revenue and reduce expenses.

Self also led initiatives to create policies and procedures and to increase awareness of corporate compliance and governance issues. He is an active member, participant and speaker at national meetings about construction, fraud, risk management and internal audit operations.

Self holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Central State University in Ohio and a Master of Business Administration in finance from Xavier University in Ohio. He is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and is past president of the Association of Airport Internal Auditors. Self also holds the Certified Internal Controls Auditor (CICA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designations.