The Metropolitan Airports Commission Selects Isabella Rhawie as Director of Concessions and Business Development
Isabella Rhawie has been selected as the Metropolitan Airports Commission’s (MAC) director of concessions and business development within the organization’s newly renamed Revenue and Business Development division.
Elevated from the assistant director role, Rhawie leads a dynamic concessions team and a 100+ unit portfolio of food, beverage and retail concepts at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), which served more than 34.7 million passengers in 2023. Rhawie’s leadership focus has expanded to include managing MSP’s Airport Conference Center and leveraging revenue and business development growth through the MAC’s new Strategic Partnership Program.
“Isabella Rhawie has played a pivotal role in redeveloping the MAC’s concessions program, and her leadership helped the program thrive and win some of the industry’s highest accolades,” said Samantha Porter, MAC vice president of finance and revenue development. “She brings a passion and energy to her work and always brings a customer perspective in managing and developing new business concepts.”
Rhawie joined the MAC in 2014 as a manager in concessions and business development. Over the last decade, she has been integral in redeveloping 85% of MSP’s concession program. That program now generates more than $275 million in annual revenue. Airports Council International-North America honored MSP with the best large airport retail program in 2018 and the Richard A. Griesbach Award of Excellence in airport concessions in 2019.
“The past decade at the MAC has been an incredible journey,” Rhawie said. “I've been fortunate to learn from exceptional mentors who have instilled in me a deep passion for this industry. I'm thrilled to leverage that experience now to drive revenue growth, foster innovation, and lead our many airport tenant partners in delivering standout products and service that our passengers and customers expect at MSP.”
Prior to joining the MAC in 2014, Rhawie developed her concessions and customer-focused business career at the Mall of America as a tourism and leasing coordinator. She holds a business administration degree from Augsburg University in Minneapolis. In 2022, Rhawie completed certification in the inaugural ACI-NA U.S. Airport Professional (USAP) program. In 2020, Isabella was selected a "Top 40 Under 40" leader by Airport Business magazine.
