About RDU Airport

The Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) serves as the gateway to Central North Carolina and the Research Triangle region, including the largest research park in the United States. RDU is governed by the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board.The Authority Board is made up of eight representatives; two each are appointed from the City of Durham, Durham County, the City of Raleigh and Wake County.

What We Stand For

Our core values provide our foundation and our expectations for each other; these core values are also critical to fulfilling our vision and mission.

Vision

To deliver a world-class airport experience.

Mission

To deliver excellent airport services and guest experiences.

Values

Learning, Integrity, Team, Excellence, Respect.

RDU Strategic Plan

This Strategic Plan shapes the Authority’s business strategy for the next five years while also providing the framework for annual business planning, operating and capital budgets, as well as tactical planning, which provides the guidelines and actions for individual divisions/ departments and programs.

View the RDU Strategic Plan

Core Values

Learning

We look for, and take advantage of every opportunity to become better at what we do, both individually and as a team.

Integrity

We do the right thing for our customers and for each other. Every time.

Team

We help each other succeed and we are proactive collaborators.

Excellence

We strive for excellence in everything we do. Our team and our customers deserve nothing less.

Respect

We value what each person brings to the team and appreciate differences in opinions, backgrounds and ideas.

RDU Community Impact

$ 15.1 Billion

Annual Economic Impact

99000

Local and Regional Jobs

$ 518 Million

In State and Local Taxes

$ 3.5 Billion

In Personal Income

Board Members

The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board governs Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The cities of Durham and Raleigh and the counties of Durham and Wake appoint two members each to an eight member board, which leads the Airport Authority. The board meets monthly on the third Thursday.

Submit a comment to a board member.

Ellis Hankins

Chair

Wake County

Ellis Hankins is a senior attorney with the Brough Law Firm, PLLC, a seven-member firm with offices in Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Concord. The law firm engages in a statewide practice focused primarily on local government, land use, and public school system representation, and related litigation. Hankins is a visiting professor in graduate public policy and management programs at UNC Chapel Hill, NC State and Duke University, and senior vice president with The Mercer Group, Inc., a nationwide public sector consulting firm.

Tammie Hall-Roberts

Vice Chair

City of Durham

Tammie Hall-Roberts serves as an Assistant County Manager for Durham County. She previously served as Assistant to the Secretary for HUB Outreach in the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses in the NC Department of Administration. Tammie has over 30 years of experience in finance, supplier diversity, community engagement and constituent services having served eight years as a United States Congressional Staffer and Policy Advisor. Tammie is a proud graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Finance. She served on the National Alumni Association Board of Directors for over eight years to include service as the President. She serves on the Board of Visitors for Dominion Energy Environmental Council and Elizabeth City State University. Tammie was recently honored with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine – one of the most prestigious awards given by a Governor to an individual for exemplary public service.

Nina Szlosberg-Landis

Secretary

City of Raleigh

Nina Szlosberg-Landis is a civic leader with multiple involvements at all levels of government — local, state and national. Szlosberg-Landis is retired from a profession in communications with more than 25 years of experience in broadcasting, media production, community relations and social advocacy. She served four terms under three Governors as an At-large member of the NC Board of Transportation and was the Board's first female Vice Chair. While there, she established and chaired the Board's Environment Planning and Policy Committee, chaired the Board's Multi-Modal Committee (which included Aviation) and Transit Subcommittee and the Board's Advanced Technology Committee. Szlosberg-Landis also served on the Triangle Region's transit authority board, GoTriangle, and on the Transportation Advisory Committee of the Durham, Chapel Hill Carrboro and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs.) She also served as a director on the board of the North Carolina Railroad Company.

Yesenia Polanco-Galdamez

Treasurer

Durham County

Yesenia Polanco-Galdamez is the Principal Attorney at Polanco Law, P.C., located in Durham. The practice specializes in criminal defense and immigration law with an additional specialty in family law. Yesenia has worked as an immigration attorney for over 15 years, gaining her education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and obtaining her law degree from the University of the District of Columbia, The David A. Clarke School of Law.

Patrick Hannah, Esq.

Member

City of Durham

Patrick Hannah has more than 25 years of combined experience in government affairs and finance industries. He is the Sr. Corporate Counsel for a Fortune 70 financial services company, with more than 30 years of combined financial services experience in compliance, legislative and regulatory matters. Hannah has litigation experience doing complex products liability defense work for Womble Bond. He also served in The White House Office of Legal Counsel during the Clinton Administration and worked in the North Carolina General Assembly. Hannah is the former Chairman of the Durham Area Transit Authority. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Morehouse College and a Juris Doctor from the N.C. Central University School of Law.

David Morgan

Member

County of Durham

David Morgan has more than 40 years of experience working in wide-ranging technology roles from financial management to transportation government agencies. He is currently a customer success manager focused upon value engineering using software with Informatica Corporation. He was formerly with the SAS Institute focused on the use of data and analytics. He is currently part of the Durham City/County Planning Commission and held prior citizen advisory roles with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County with privatization efforts, parks and recreation. David holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Bowling Green State University and a M.B.A in Marketing and Finance from DePaul State University.

David Kushner

Member

Wake County

David Kushner has more than 20 years of experience in media and communications law, focusing on broadcasting, media policy, First Amendment issues and defamation. He is a Partner at Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLP in Raleigh. A Morehead Scholar, David earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Ph.D. from Princeton University and a Juris Doctor from Duke University. His bar and court admissions include North Carolina, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 2^nd, 4^th, 7^th, 11^th and D.C. Circuits.

Shelley Winters

Member

City of Raleigh

Shelley Winters is a dedicated public servant and lifelong resident of Raleigh, with her family roots tracing back six generations in the city. An alumna of North Carolina A&T State University, she currently serves as a manager in Wake County Human Services, bringing a wealth of experience and a solid commitment to her community. As a communication officer well-versed in county statutes, Shelley has demonstrated her passion for serving North Carolina through roles such as Vice Chair of the City of Raleigh Planning Commission and Chairwoman of the Raleigh Citizen’s Advisory Council.

Ellis Hankins

Wake County

Tammie Hall-Roberts

City of Durham

Nina Szlosberg-Landis

City of Raleigh

Yesenia Polanco-Galdamez

Durham County

Patrick Hannah, Esq.

City of Durham

David Morgan

County of Durham

David Kushner

Wake County

Shelley Winters

City of Raleigh

Executive Leadership

Meet the executive leadership team for the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority.

Michael Landguth, A.A.E.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Michael Landguth is RDU’s President and Chief Executive Officer. With nearly 20 years of experience in the aviation industry, Landguth is responsible for overall staffing, budgeting, strategic planning and operations at RDU. Prior to joining RDU, he served as chief executive officer and president of the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority after also holding the position of director of airport operations within the organization. Landguth holds both bachelor and master's degrees in Aeronautical Sciences from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He was selected as the 2016 Airport Revenue News Medium HUB Airport Director of the Year, and serves on the board of directors for the Airports Council International – North America. He is also a board member for both the Raleigh and Durham Chambers of Commerce. In 2017, Landguth was named CEO of the Year by the Triangle Business Journal and is a North Carolina Airports Association President’s Award recipient.

John Connell, P.E., A.A.E.

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

John Connell is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He oversees the airport’s maintenance, operations, police, fire-rescue, traffic control, communications center, and security/badging. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Operations and Asset Management at the Authority and brings over 15 years of experience in civil and military aviation. Connell holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Clarkson University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Clemson University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in North Carolina.

David Freedman, C.M.

Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer

David Freedman is the Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer. He is responsible for growing both aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenue while overseeing air service and all aspects of revenue generation including the airport’s business development, ground transportation, parking and properties departments. He brings private sector and financial expertise and experience to the Airport Authority. Most recently David served as Director of Strategic Planning and Business Development at the Hollywood Burbank Airport. Freedman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy and a Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University.

David Kruse

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer

David Kruse is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. He is responsible for strategic planning, implementation, security, and management of RDU’s technology infrastructure and digital initiatives. Drawing upon a career spanning over three decades in Information Technology, he joined RDU in 2007 and has been instrumental in driving technological innovation and operational efficiency within the organization. He received a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Degree from The Ohio State University’s College of Engineering.

Chuck McFall, A.A.E.

Executive Vice President and Chief Information, Strategy, and Administration Officer

Chuck McFall is the Executive Vice President and Chief Information, Strategy and Administration Officer. Chuck oversees all Information Services/Technology, Finance, Communications, Government and Community Affairs, Risk Management and Safety activities and services for the Authority. He also provides leadership and visioning for all strategic and business planning initiatives. Chuck brings over 25 years of senior leadership and information technology experience; he previously served the Tennessee Valley Authority in multiple senior leadership positions. McFall has a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Columbia Southern University, an M.A. in Applied Organizational Behavior from Tusculum College, an Executive Certificate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is an Accredited Airport Executive.

William C. Sandifer, A.A.E.

Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer

Bill Sandifer is the Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. He oversees all aspects of the implementation of Vision 2040 including facility planning and design, program management, construction as well as all environmental compliance and sustainability initiatives of the Authority. He brings over 36 years of comprehensive airport management and consulting experience to the Airport Authority. Prior to assuming the role as Chief Development Officer he served as the Authority’s first Chief Operating Officer since 2014. Prior to joining the Authority he was the Senior Vice President and National Aviation Director at Reynolds, Smith and Hills. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Management from Eastern Michigan University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from Michigan State University. He is a licensed attorney in the State of Florida, an Accredited Airport Executive, and holds a commercial pilot license with instrument and flight instructor ratings.

Donald Armstrong, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Donald Armstrong is the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer and is responsible for the Airport Authority’s human resources functions including recruitment, compliance, payroll, benefits, wellness program and talent management. He joined RDU’s Human Resources team in 2011. Armstrong holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina A&T State University, a master’s degree in public administration from North Carolina Central University and holds certifications as a Senior Professional in Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Ronald Kapocius, CPA

Vice President and Chief Finance Officer

Ron Kapocius is RDU’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He is responsible for planning, organizing, implementing, and directing the fiscal control, business development, business management and administrative activities of the Airport Authority. He previously served as Director of Financial Planning and Controller for the Authority and has more than 25 years of financial leadership experience across multiple industries. Kapocius received a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Southern Illinois University in 1991. A licensed Certified Public Accountant, he is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the North Carolina Association of CPAs.

Crystal Lorbacher

Vice President and Vice President of Communications, Government and Community Affairs

Crystal Lorbacher is RDU’s Vice President of Communications, Government and Community Affairs. She is responsible for leading airport communications, media relations, government affairs and community engagement. Lorbacher previously served in the public and private sectors in leadership roles that managed communications, public policy and crisis response. Lorbacher was raised in Durham, N.C. and earned her Bachelor of Arts in government from Georgetown University.

Erin Locklear

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Erin Locklear is the Senior Vice President and General Counsel, with 15 years of experience providing legal oversight and coordination for a wide range of issues that affect the Airport Authority. She also oversees procurement, internal audit, and the Small Business Office. Locklear earned an A.B. in Sociology from Princeton University. She also received a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law and a Diversity & Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.