The Gerald R. Ford International Airport has been named Airport of the Year by the Michigan Department of Transportation Office of Aeronautics.
The Ford Airport has been recognized for its “outstanding contribution and sustained excellence toward aviation progress in Michigan.” The award also reads in part, “the airport is being commended in particular for its innovative terminal expansion ‘Project Elevate’ and continued community environmental stewardship.”
In 2019, the Ford Airport Authority announced plans for Project Elevate, a three-development expansion that includes a $90 million extension of Concourse A to accommodate projected passenger growth over the next 20 years.
Airport officials say, that despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to adapt its expansion plan, the Ford Airport broke ground this year, the first step to welcoming direct international travel to Grand Rapids.
Torrence Richardson is the Airport’s CEO.
“You know, we are very proud of the work we’ve done,” he said. “This award really just puts a feather in the cap to say, ‘yeah we see that, we understand that your team has been working very hard and you have got a lot accomplished in a very short time frame.’ Kudos to the team for accomplishing that.”
The MDOT Office of Aeronautics annually recognizes exceptional airports in various categories. The Ford Airport was presented with the award at a virtual ceremony on Feb. 18 during the 2021 Michigan Airport Conference.