Columbus' major airports are much more than places to catch a flight. John Glenn International, Rickenbacker International, and Bolton Field are the region's front doors — a first impression for visitors, a critical link for global businesses, and a major piece of the critical infrastructure needed to support Central Ohio's next chapter of growth.
As Daren Griffin takes the helm as the new President & CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, he arrives at a truly defining moment. John Glenn International is building a new $2 billion terminal, Rickenbacker International continues to play a major and ever-growing role in cargo and economic development, and Columbus travelers are asking the question every growing region faces: where can we fly from here?
Meet Daren Griffin as we explore what's ahead for aviation in our region and how Central Ohio's growth will depend on bold airport innovations and investment. How will John Glenn's gleaming new terminal change the passenger experience? What will it take to attract more nonstop flights and stronger global connections? How are new technology, airline economics, cargo logistics, workforce needs, and customer expectations reshaping the future and the experience of air travel?
Featuring:
Daren Griffin, President & CEO, The Columbus Regional Airport Authority
Deborah Scherer, Senior Vice President, Global Trade & Investment, One Columbus
Your host is Jerod Smalley, Anchor, WCMH NBC4, and Host, Columbus 2.0.
This forum was sponsored by The Columbus Regional Airport Authority. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream is The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner is The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by Downtown Columbus, Inc. and The National Veterans Memorial and Museum.
If you'd like to dive more deeply into this topic, our fantastic partners at the Columbus Metropolitan Library suggest checking out "Building of an Airport: Port Columbus," by Robert F. Kirk (2019).
