| PHILADELPHIA, PA – Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, named Doug Kreulen as the recipient of the 2026 Excellence in Visionary Leadership Award. The award, which honors outstanding leadership and innovative vision within the aviation industry, was presented on Tuesday, September 15, at the 2026 ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia, PA.
“Doug Kreulen has spent the better part of a decade proving what’s possible when bold vision meets disciplined execution,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Under his leadership, Nashville International Airport has transformed from a growing regional facility into one of the fastest-growing airports in the country, and he’s done it while bringing his entire community, his airlines, his elected officials, and his own workforce along with him. Doug represents the very best of what visionary airport leadership looks like.”
Kreulen has served as President and CEO of MNAA since 2017, overseeing Nashville International Airport (BNA). His approach to airport leadership was shaped by 27 years in the U.S. Air Force, where he rose to the rank of colonel, with command assignments in Saudi Arabia, Germany, Arkansas, and Japan, and served as the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
“I’m truly honored to receive this award, and I want to thank ACI NA for this recognition. It’s humbling to be recognized in this way, and I accept it on behalf of the entire MNAA team and the thousands of employees who keep BNA moving every day,” said Doug Kreulen, president and CEO, MNAA. “Leadership is never a solo effort, and everything we’ve accomplished has been the result of their hard work, talent and commitment to serving the Middle Tennessee community. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and grateful for the opportunity to lead such an exceptional team.”
Since Kreulen’s arrival at BNA, annual passenger traffic has grown more than 83 percent, from 13.5 million in 2017 to 24.8 million in 2025. He is leading the airport through a $4.5 billion infrastructure program spanning two phases: the $1.5 billion BNA Vision project, completed in 2024, and the $3 billion New Horizon program, which will expand BNA’s capacity to 40 million annual passengers by 2029. Under his tenure, BNA has added nonstop European service, for the first time, grown from zero to three transatlantic routes, and surpassed 100 nonstop destinations for the first time in its history. Concession and retail offerings at the airport have more than doubled, from 52 to over 100 businesses showcasing Nashville’s food, music and art.
Kreulen has also guided BNA through significant financial growth, with unrestricted assets increasing by $148.1 million and operating revenues rising by $23.8 million in fiscal year 2025 alone, all without local tax dollars. He leads a workforce of more than 12,500 airport personnel including 450 MNAA full-time employees, grounded in the organization’s core values of Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence. Under his leadership, BNA has earned 58 industry awards and honors over the past two years.
The Excellence in Visionary Leadership Award was presented during the 2026 ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition, which brings together airport and aviation professionals from across North America to discuss and advance key industry issues. |
