DFW International Airport executive named AMAC chair

DALLAS - Airport Minority Advisory Council has named Don O’Bannon, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport’s vice president for Small and Emerging Business, as its chair. O’Bannon will lead the group over the next 24 months while continuing his industry-leading efforts at the airport to assist disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprises.

O’Bannon has served on the council board for the past year as the second vice chair and has been involved with the national organization since beginning work at the airport.

“As the new chairman of Airport Minority Advisory Council, I would like to work with the FAA to encourage policies and procedures that address the economic realities of [disadvantaged, minority and women business enterprises] doing business in an airport environment,” O’Bannon said. “The council strives to ensure that new opportunities are made available to all business, both large and small.”

O’Bannon has led the Small and Emerging Business Department at the airport for the past six years, making the program an example of best practices within the aviation industry.

“DFW [Airport] has a world-class Small and Emerging Business Department that has received recognition from many segments of the business community,” airport CEO Jeff Fegan said. “Don and his team have brought greater competition to the marketplace, not only for the airport, but for the whole DFW region. Small businesses have had the chance at DFW to work on big projects and then leverage their success for additional work outside of the airport environment.”

O’Bannon earned a bachelor’s degree at Dartmouth College and a law degree at the University of Virginia. He continues to maintain his law license.

He currently serves on the African Chamber of Commerce board, Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board and Airport Council International Diversity Committee. He has won numerous awards for his service to the minority- and women-owned business communities. In 2007 O’Bannon received the Luna Award for Business Advocate of the Year from the Hispanic Contractors Association of DFW, was named Public Sector Advocate of the Year by the Black Contractors Association, and received the Outstanding Diversity Executive Award from the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce. Minority Business News Texas magazine named O’Bannon an Influential African American Leader in Texas.

AMAC believes that the inclusion of more minority- and women-owned businesses in airports makes good business sense and reflects the communities and markets these airports serve. As the aviation industry grows, airports continue to expand - amounting to billions of dollars annually in construction, procurement, professional services and concession contracts.