Airports Council Announces Winners of 2023 Airport Concessions Awards

Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, has announced the winners of the 2023 ACI-NA Airport Concessions Awards, which celebrate the resilience of airports, concessionaires, and business partners. Edmonton International Airport (YEG) was announced as the winner of the Richard A. Griesbach Award of Excellence, and the 2023 ACI-NA Concessions Person of the Year was awarded to Amy Snyder of Boise Airport (BOI).

“This year’s recipients are just some of the outstanding examples of how the airport and concessions industries continue to work together to enhance the passenger experience,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “As we look toward the future, collaboration between airports and their partners remain very strong as we focus on resiliency and innovation.  We look forward to continued partnership with our members and recognition of the operations that have enhanced our industry’s growth.”

The awards were announced during a gala dinner at the 2023 ACI-NA Business of Airports Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. More than 700 commercial management, business diversity, human resource and finance representatives from the North American airport industry attended the conference.

Richard A. Griesbach Award for Excellence in Airport Concessions:
This award is ACI-NA’s highest honor for airport concessions. The Griesbach Award considers an airport’s entire concession program — including food service, retail, and consumer services — in terms of the overall mix, quality, brands, sales, and build-out.

The 2023 winner of the Richard A. Griesbach Award for Excellence in Airport Concessions is Edmonton International Airport (YEG) for its Concessions Program, designed on three foundational pillars: passengers, partners, and sense of place. YEG’s Concessions Program offered new avenues for revenue generation through its stadium liquor license, prioritizing business partners, drawing on its heritage with the land, and offering flexibility during the pandemic.

Concessions Person of the Year: 
This award recognizes a professional working at an airport — as a concession operator, a service provider, or at a consultancy — who has contributed to enhancing the North American airport concession industry through their time, involvement, and expertise.

The 2023 Concessions Person of the Year is Amy Snyder of Boise Airport (BOI). Snyder is the Airport Property and Contracts Manager with over 25 years of experience. Her deep knowledge and expertise led BOI to exponential growth, with increased revenues in concessions by 82 percent and land leases by a staggering 142 percent.

Concept Awards: 
This category recognizes concessionaires, service providers, or single concession unit operators that have demonstrated innovative approaches and effectiveness of the partnership for the airport, passengers, and/or community.

• The 2023 Best New Food and Beverage (Full-Service Concept) award winner is the Hunt & Fish Grill at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), operated by SSP America.
• The 2023 Best New Food and Beverage (Quick-Service Concept) award winner is Super Bien at San Antonio International Airport (SAT), operated by HMSHost.
• The 2023 Best New Local Concept award winner is Farmers’ Market at Indianapolis International Airport (IND), operated by SSP America.
• The 2023 Best New National Brand Concept award winner is Whataburger at San Antonio International Airport (SAT), operated by Paradies Lagardère.
• The 2023 Best New News & Gift Concept award winner is the Civil Rights Trail Market at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), operated by Hudson.
• The 2023 Best New Retail Concept award winner is LEGO Airport Store at John F. Kennedy International Air Terminal (JFKIAT), operated by DFS Group.
• The 2023 Best New Passenger Experience Concept award winner is Gameway at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), operated by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield.

Best Employee Recognition Program Awards: 
This category recognizes an airport and a concessionaire, service provider, or single concession unit operator that supports an employee concessions recognition program from a large, medium, or small airport. Award recipients have demonstrated innovative approaches and effectiveness of efforts to recognize employees.

• The 2023 Best Airport Employee Recognition Program award winner is Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) (Large Hub).
• The 2023 Best Airport Employee Recognition Program award winner is Indianapolis International Airport (IND) (Medium Hub).
• The 2023 Best Concessionaire Employee Recognition Program award winner is Paradies Lagardère.