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    1. Airports

    San Diego Airport Deputy Director Named President of Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives

    Aug. 24, 2021
    Rubio’s top priorities include bringing more intentional diversity and inclusion to the industry.
    Related To: City of San Diego Department of Real Estate & Airport Management
    City of San Diego
    Jorge Rubio, deputy director of airports for the City of San Diego, was named the next president of the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives.
    Jorge Rubio, deputy director of airports for the City of San Diego, was named the next president of the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives.

    Jorge Rubio, AAE, CAE, deputy director of the City of San Diego Department of Real Estate and Airport Management (DREAM), was named the next president of the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (SWAAAE) for a one-year term, from 2021 to 2022. The announcement was made at SWAAAE’s 75th Annual Conference in Reno, Nevada. Rubio was elected by the members of the organization to the executive committee, which led him to become president. SWAAAE serves more than 600 members and includes airport professionals from commercial and general aviation airports across California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii.

    “It is a great honor to serve as SWAAAE’s president,” said Rubio. “This will be an extraordinary year and together we will accomplish several goals. As an aviation and airport professional, I have been a proud member of SWAAAE and its parent national organization, the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) for more than 15 years. They have provided me with the proper knowledge and skills to be successful at what I do. I cannot be prouder of the membership and look forward to leading SWAAAE to create new opportunities and address any new challenges that may arise.”

    Rubio’s top priorities include bringing more intentional diversity and inclusion to the industry, as such he will be working with several committees to achieve this goal. He will also be implementing the next step of SWAAAE’s recently adopted Strategic Business Plan, and he has also created the Young Professionals Ad-Hoc Committee, which will focus on providing more opportunities to recent entrants to the industry.

    Rubio currently oversees the overall operations, maintenance and development of the City of San Diego’s Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport and Brown Field Municipal Airport. Most recently, Rubio helped close a lease and $16 million redevelopment project of 26.2 acres at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. He also helped close a $100 million lease and redevelopment of 331 acres at Brown Field Municipal Airport which will happen over the next 20 years. Combined, city airports support more than 1,500 local jobs and generate $199 million in economic activity annually.

    The announcement puts the City of San Diego in the spotlight, and the connections and ideas shared by Rubio and SWAAAE members improves airports and the aviation industry.

    “The City of San Diego and DREAM is proud of Rubio’s accomplishment,” said DREAM director Penny Maus. “The city fosters a culture of professional development and believes that well-developed and trained workforce improves public service.”

    Before working for the City of San Diego, Rubio held several positions at County of Ventura Department of Airports and with AvPorts at the Tweed New Haven Regional Airport. In 2013 he was honored with the “40 under 40” Award by Airport Business Magazine, in 2015 with the Aviation Excellence Award by SWAAAE, and in 2019 he received the president’s award from SWAAAE.