Speaker

Biography

Welcome to the City

Andrea Horwath is the Mayor of Hamilton and the first woman elected to the role in the city's history. A lifelong Hamiltonian, she began her political journey as a city councillor in 1997, representing Ward 2. Known for her dedication to community development, housing, and public engagement, she quickly became a respected local leader. In 2004, Horwath was elected as the MPP for Hamilton Centre. She later became leader of the Ontario NDP, serving in that role for over a decade and leading the party to Official Opposition status in 2018. Throughout her provincial career, she remained deeply connected to her roots in Hamilton. Returning to municipal politics in 2022, Horwath ran for mayor on a platform focused on housing, affordability, climate resilience, and inclusive growth. As mayor, she continues to advocate for transparency, collaboration, and sustainable development, working to build a more equitable and vibrant city for all Hamiltonians.

Future Ready Airports: Nurturing Talent with AI-Driven Sustainability

Dr. Suzanne Kearns is an accomplished aviation academic with over two decades of experience, specializing in aviation sustainability, education, and human factors. A former airplane and helicopter pilot, she earned her first pilot licenses at the age of 17 and began her academic career as a professor at 24. Dr. Kearns is recognized internationally for her research on educating the next generation of aviation professionals (NGAP) and exploring methods to attract talent to the aviation field. She has taught thousands of aviation professionals worldwide, both in the classroom and through electronic courseware. Dr. Kearns is the author or co-author of six influential books, including the internationally-leading textbook Fundamentals of International Aviation, which has been translated into multiple languages. In 2021, she founded the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) at the University of Waterloo, which she leads as Director. Under her leadership, WISA has grown to include over 140 professors and is a world leading hub for sustainable aviation research, technology, and education. Her contributions have earned her numerous national and international awards for research and aviation leadership.

CATSA Update

Gord Kenny joined the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) in 2018, following a career in Airline Aviation Security, Regulatory Affairs, and Commercial Operations. As the Director, Service Delivery, Central Region, Gord is responsible for the Delivery of screening operations at Designated CATSA airports in the Province of Ontario. Gord is based in Toronto, where he leads CATSA's Regional Management Team. This team is responsible for Management and Oversight of mandated screening activities, as well as training and certification of the Screening Officer workforce. This is in support of CATSA's mandated activities including Hold-baggage screening (HBS), pre-board screening (PBS) and non-passenger screening (NPS). Gord has extensive experience participating in industry and airport working groups, including various consultative committees in Canada and with International partners.

 Accreditation Presentation: Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM)

Dean Wright is the Associate Director of Gating and Airport Flow at Toronto Pearson, Canada's largest airport, bringing nearly 30 years of operational experience to his role. He is responsible for overseeing aircraft stand and counter allocation, managing apron operations, and leading Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) initiatives within Airport Operations. In October 2023, Dean proudly led the successful implementation of full A-CDM procedures, positioning Toronto Pearson as the first airport in Canada to achieve this significant milestone. Additionally, as the business owner of many critical operational systems such as Assia's ApronAI solution, Dean is committed to operational safety, efficiency, and developing Total Airport Management (TAM) at Canada's most complex airport.

AMSCR - Reporting Challenges & Opportunities for Improvement

Terry Townshend is the Principal and President of Townshend Technical Services and has been providing training and consulting services to airports across Canada since 1998. As an incorporated engineer with over forty-five years in the airports industry he has worked for Transport Canada HQ and Lester B. Pearson International Airport, with the FAA, NASA, overseas and with airports of all sizes in all provinces and territories. Terry's experience and services address many specialties including airfield operations, fleet and facilities life cycle management and engineering, and training development, but he is most widely known for his In-depth knowledge of winter airfield operations, snow and ice control, runway condition reporting and runway friction measurement. Strategic planning and leading-edge technology adoption for arctic and other airports has taken much of his time in recent years along with providing his services to Canadian airports for two decades as an IAAE-Canada instructor and lately, as a member of the IAAE-Canada Training Committee.

Quality Assurance for Airfield Maintenance

Jason Huisman joined Tetra Tech Canada as a Senior Airport Specialist in 2023. Prior to this, he spent 13 years with the Calgary Airport Authority and was responsible, for building, implementing and operating the Safety Management System and Quality Assurance Programs for the Calgary International Airport and Springbank Airport after several years in a similar role for an air carrier operating Dash 8 aircraft. Having lived the evolution of Safety Management System and Quality Assurance Programs in Canadian Aviation from these perspectives, Jason has seen (and made) many of the errors common to QA program development in operational environments and understands the delicate balance of compliance and efficiency in airport operations.

The Imperative Principle of Stability in the Airport Business 

Maxx Kochar is an accredited airport executive known for his expertise in operational management, strategic leadership, and comprehensive development planning. With over 20 years of experience, he has a proven track record in optimizing operational frameworks, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing strategic partnerships across diverse industries, including aviation, digital media, and business development. His work consistently delivers strong results for clients in both public and private sectors. Maxx is currently on Board of Directors of the International Association of Airport Executives

The Imperative Principle of Stability in the Airport Business 

Trent Gervais is the president and CEO of The Loomex Group, a group of companies which includes Explorer Solutions and ACF Associates Inc. He has over 35 years of business and emergency response experience and is recognized Canada-wide as an aviation and emergency management expert. Throughout his career, Trent has never lost sight of the importance of helping those in need. He has filled crucial roles during the response efforts to several large-scale emergencies, including fires, severe weather events, and aircraft recovery. As a result of his leadership during these trying events, airports and businesses across the country have looked to Trent to help them create new emergency response plans. Most recently, Trent has been working with organizations and First Nations communities to both respond and develop business continuity plans to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. At The Loomex Group, Trent leads the company's multiple divisions and teams. He uses his unique skill set to develop innovative and forward-thinking solutions to business, safety, and compliance needs for communities across Canada. Trent is currently on the Board of Governors for Trent University, Board of Directors of the International Association of Airport Executives, and a Board of Director for the Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation.