DFW International Airport CEO Sean Donahue has announced that he will retire from the position he has held for 11 years.
Donohue is credited with overseeing significant expansion of the airport.
During his tenure, the airport has become the third busiest in the world and is on pace to be the first carbon-neutral airport in North America by 2030, according to a profile by D Magazine.
DFW International generates more than $5 billion in local and state taxes and $38 billion in wages. The airport contributes 634,000 jobs to the region.
“It’s with mixed emotions that I have decided the time has come to pass the torch at DFW and begin a new chapter in my own life, after four decades of service to the aviation industry,” Donohue said in a statement. “Aviation has taken me to nearly every corner of the world and led me to the great privilege of overseeing the best airport in the business.”
Donohue began his career with United Airlines in 1984, where he worked for 26 years. Virgin Australia then hired him as COO, where he stayed for three years. In 2013, Donohue was hired by DFW International.
“Around the world, DFW Airport is known among the best in the aviation industry, and that reputation has been earned in no small part due to the steadfast leadership of CEO Sean Donohue,” said Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson. “The City of Dallas commends Sean on his decade-long tenure at DFW, and for the growth and prosperity that DFW has created for our city, region, and communities.”
DFW International will search internationally for a new CEO to replace Donohue. He is expected to stay in the position until 2025.
DFW International is undergoing a massive $9 billion improvement project that will see significant upgrades to Terminal C and a new Terminal F, as well as upgrades to roadways and landscaping.
“Sean’s impact on DFW Airport and the broader aviation industry cannot be overstated,” said DeMetris Sampson, DFW’s Board Chair. “His leadership and vision have guided DFW through periods of historic challenges and significant growth.”