|
Today, Kim Day announced that she will be retiring as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Denver International Airport (DEN) effective July 16, 2021. Day was originally appointed as DEN’s CEO in April of 2008 under then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. She was reappointed by Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock in 2011 and has guided the airport’s award-winning operation for 13 years – half of DEN’s 26-year history.
“Experiencing breast cancer made me think about reducing stress and retiring last year, but then COVID-19 hit. I felt the responsibility to lead the airport through the pandemic and leave it in a strong and financially healthy place with major capital projects on target to meet their budget and schedule goals,” said Day. “I will miss so much about DEN and its talented and capable people. We have accomplished so much together, but I’m ready to discover the next phase of my life. I’m grateful to Senator Hickenlooper and Mayor Hancock for trusting me to be DEN’s steward these past 13 years.”
During Day’s tenure as CEO, she led the organization through record-breaking growth, the largest capital improvement program in airport history, and successfully managed through two economic downturns, including the Great Recession and the COVID-19 global pandemic.
“Kim Day’s impact on Denver International Airport and subsequently on our regional economy, is indelible,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “Kim has been the dynamic leader we needed at a pivotal time of growth and opportunity for our city and state. She is the epitome of selfless leadership, grit and perseverance, an exceptional leader who sets the highest standards for herself and her team, and delivers impactful results with precision, and expert attention to detail. Kim’s dedication to our shared vision of creating a world-class airport is a crowning achievement of her professional career and a lasting legacy for my administration.”
Under her leadership, DEN has become the 3rd busiest airport in the U.S. and one of the top 10 busiest airports in the world. In fact, DEN has grown from 51.2 million to a pre-pandemic high of 69 million annual passengers. DEN has become one the largest domestic networks, growing from 170 nonstop destinations in 2018 to 214 in 2019, including international cities such as Tokyo, Paris, Zurich, Reykjavik, and Panama.
And, due to DEN’s ability to keep airline costs low and competitive, DEN’s largest airlines, United and Southwest, have entered into long-term lease agreements and 11 airlines have been added to DEN’s network since 2008: Icelandair; Volaris; Copa; Norwegian; Boutique Air; Virgin America; Sun Country Airlines; Edelweiss; Cayman Airways; and Air France.
DEN’s extraordinary growth has resulted in an increase in annual total revenue from $842 million in 2008 to $1.2 billion. The economic impact of DEN has also grown, from $22.3 billion in 2008 to over $35 billion in 2018.
Click here to learn more about Kim Day’s accomplishments
|
