The 39th Annual AMAC Airport Business Diversity Conference, which took place in Nashville, Tennessee over the summer, connected over 1,500 attendees who engaged in education, advocacy and networking opportunities that promote diversity and inclusion in the aviation and aerospace industries.
Our opening session was off to a sky-high start with welcome remarks from Congressman Steven Horsford, Nevada House of Representatives 4th District/Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus; Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell and USDOT Acting Under Secretary Christopher Coes. Attendees also heard a keynote address from Fawn Weaver, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey founder and CEO.
We hosted an all-star AMAC Legends & Leapers lineup, which included Anthony Anderson and Ronald and Kandy Isley, who shared their flourishing business products and journey to enter the aviation industry. The Nashville welcome reception entertained guests with booming beats and comedy, featuring award-winning R&B group After 7 and Cedric the Entertainer.
We hosted relevant, informative and inspirational workshops through the following tracks: Concessions; Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC); Airports and FAA/USDOT. Our robust program with over 140 speakers provided coveted insights, actionable resources and tools to help attendees.
It didn’t stop there! The AMAC Foundation hosted its highly-anticipated event, the Bill Walker Memorial Golf Tournament at Topgolf Nashville. It marked the first-ever all-white day party with live music, a DJ, celebrity guests and exciting raffle prizes. Over 300 participants enjoyed a day of fun and camaraderie, all while supporting the AMAC Foundation Scholarship Fund. This tournament continues to be a premier event, blending entertainment with a meaningful cause.
Project LIFT (Leaders Inspiring Future Talent) at Tennessee State University’s SMART Innovation Technology Center was another memorable event. Over 100 students in grades 8-12 from Tennessee to Louisiana participated in an immersive experience, using virtual reality, augmented reality and holographic simulations to explore careers in aviation and aerospace. This hands-on event inspired the next generation of leaders—making a lasting impact on the students’ career aspirations.
More than 700 attendees gathered at the Celebrating Women in Aviation Breakfast & Scholarship Awards to honor women who have charted paths of ascension for future generations in aviation. The keynote speaker, USDOT Office of Civil Rights Director Irene Marion, received the newly-renamed Angela Gittens Woman of the Year Award. We also heard from AMAC Foundation Scholarship recipient Ryan Carr, who shared how the scholarship profoundly impacted his life. The event was a powerful celebration of leadership and inspiration with a focus on the future of aviation.
In addition, Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and entertainment, announced the creation of the Delaware North Aviation Scholarship Fund (DNASF)—a $50,000 scholarship fund that will be distributed over the next five years, providing $10,000 annually to deserving scholarship recipients through 2028. The DNASF aims to support minority students pursuing careers in aviation-related fields, such as engineering, architecture, construction, business management, supply chain management, economics, accounting, communications, computer science, finance and other related disciplines at accredited universities. The exact amount of each scholarship will be determined jointly by the AMAC Foundation and Delaware North.
We would like to thank our conference host, the Nashville International Airport, as well as the city of Nashville for their generous support. We also want to extend special thanks to all the attendees, speakers and sponsors who joined us this year, because without their support, this conference wouldn’t happen.
We hope you will attend the 40th Annual AMAC Airport Business Diversity Conference in June 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana! For more information, visit amac-org.com.
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