Aviation
ATL Next Celebrates
Maynard Jackson's
Legacy at 2019 Industry Day By American DBE Staff
The legacy of the late Atlanta Mayor Maynard L. Jackson Jr. is alive and well at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. As one of the busiest airports in the world moves forward on a major capital improvement program called ATL Next, the airport is also ensuring that diverse firms owned by minorities and women are playing a significant role in the projects contained in the $6 billion program. The ATL Next program represents a variety of projects to modernize, expand and improve the
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airport in order to keep pace with anticipated passenger growth and to enhance passengers’ experiences at the airport. Significant participation of diverse firms is the vision Jackson had for the airport during his three terms as mayor from 1974-1982 and 1990-1994. The airport experienced massive growth during this period as Atlanta solidified its position as the premier metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States. Jackson used his role as mayor to ensure that the airport – owned by
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport leadership honors Valerie Jackson and the legacy of her late husband Maynard H. Jackson Jr. at the 2019 ATL Next Industry Day. (From left) ATL General Manager John Selden, City of Atlanta COO Richard Cox, Valerie Jackson, ATL Business Diversity Officer Valerie Nesbitt, and ATL Deputy General Manager Greg Richardson.
the City of Atlanta – shared the economic opportunities created by improvements with all segments of the Atlanta community, especially minority-owned businesses. His commitment to economic inclusion still sets the standard for metropolitan areas across the country for the role airport and municipal projects can play in developing thriving diverse firms and spreading opportunity to all members of a community. The airport used its third annual ATL Next Industry
