Airport Experience Conference 2022 Agenda

Sunday, February 27

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: Sebastian Registration

Registration Desks Open

Registration Desk & Lanyards Sponsored by Delaware North
Hotel Key Cards Sponsored by Paradies Lagardère
Registration Bags Sponsored by Hudson
Pocket Agenda Sponsored by Fraport USA
Conference App Sponsored by WHSmith-InMotion-Marshall Retail Group

Orlando Airport Tour Reception
Space is limited. You must add this event to your registration to participate. Confirmation required.

Sponsored by Orlando International Airport

Monday, February 28
7:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Location: Sebastian Registration
 

Registration Desks Open

Registration Desk & Lanyards Sponsored by Delaware North
Hotel Key Cards Sponsored by Paradies Lagardère
Registration Bags Sponsored by Hudson
Pocket Agenda Sponsored by Fraport USA
Conference App Sponsored by WHSmith-InMotion-Marshall Retail Group

Session 1: Women in Leadership Breakfast
AXN’s wildly popular celebration of women’s excellence is back for a second year! Join Team AXN and our valued sponsors as we spotlight the current women in leadership in our industry and assess the pathways to expanded influence for the next generation of female executives.  

Space is limited. You must add this event to your registration to participate. Confirmation required.

Moderator: Melissa K. Montes, Publisher, Airport Experience^® News

Speakers:
Judy Byrd, President & CEO, Byrd Retail Group
Rebecca Hupp, Director, Boise Airport
Nancy Knipp, President, Airport Dimensions
Kate Webb, Director of Concessions, Tampa International Airport

Breakfast Sponsored by Stellar Partners
Coffee Sponsored by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Program Sponsored by Moet Hennessy, See's Candies, Tandem Creative, Vera Bradley

Breakfast Sponsored by The Grove
Coffee Sponsored by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Networking Break 

Speaker: Melissa K. Montes, Publisher, Airport Experience^® News

General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

Session 2:
Keynote Address: Digital Disruption And The Post-Pandemic Consumer

The pandemic served as an accelerant for a digital revolution that was already underway. As the crisis eases and travel returns, airports and operators will see a shift in the demands of passengers. Futurist Brian Solis shares his insights on designing brands for "Generation C" (Connected Customers), and also assesses the impact of the pandemic on the consumer mindset.

Speakers:
Brian Solis, Digital Analyst and Anthropologist, Futurist, Best-Selling Author

Keynote Address Sponsored by Mission Yogurt
General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

Networking Break

Coffee Sponsored by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Session 3: Airport of the Future. Tomorrow's Traveler. Tomorrow's Airport Experience.

As airports look to develop and adapt to the needs of travelers in the post-pandemic world, decision making can be challenging. In this session, data findings from a recently commissioned independent travel survey will be shared, along with a series of insights that will help inform and transform the roadmaps of airport concessions. The findings will be discussed by a panel of innovators, already ahead of the curve on leading the transformation to the future airport experience. 

Moderator: Chris Gwilliam, Vice President, Global Business Development, Airport Dimensions

Speakers:
Wassim Sade, CEO and Co-Founder, Inflyter
Oliver Schulz, CEO and Co-Founder, Sleep 'n Fly
Stewart Steeves, Chief Operating Officer, Vantage Airport Group
Jordan Walbridge, CEO and Co-Founder, Gameway

General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

Property Managers’ Luncheon

Airports only
Sponsored by HMSHost

Session 4: Trends Mixer: What To Expect As The Industry Evolves

The tumult of the past two years has upended standard operating procedures, forcing rapid change in an industry that is already in constant evolution. In this session, a range of experts will discuss everything from food and retail trends to tech advancements to airline strategies and more. 

Coordinator: Shafer Ross, Associate Editor, Airport Experience News

Presentation 1: 
Airline Actions And Their Impact On Airports
Airline strategies are shifting again in the wake of the pandemic. Some airports will thrive, others will falter as carriers shift attention to select markets and leave others behind. Find out the factors at play and which airports are most vulnerable in this still-tumultuous time in aviation. 

Speaker: William Swelbar, Chief Industry Analyst, Swelbar-Zhong Consultancy

Presentation 2: 
Food & Beverage Outlook
The right menu offering is crucial to success for any restaurant, and finding the right mix is constantly moving target as consumer tastes evolve. The National Restaurant Association's "What's Hot 2022 Culinary Forecast" breaks down what to expect this year. 

Speaker: B. Hudson Riehle, Senior Vice President, Research & Knowledge Group, National Restaurant Association

Presentation 3: 
Using Digital Technology To Enhance Non-Aero Revenue
Last fall, Meehan Aviation Group was tasked by ACRP to examine the use of digital technology and how it impacts non-aeronautical revenues. Hear about the findings thus far.

Speaker: Sonjia Murray, Managing Director, The Meehan Aviation Group

Presentation 4:
Optimizing Airport Revenue Through An Al-Powered Digital Marketplace
A new generation of travelers has shopping and experience expectations that differ from what is currently standard at many North American airports. Find out how an Al-powered digital marketplace can improve the customer experience, maximize efficiency and grow revenue.

Speaker: Joe Waller, Chief Revenue Officer, FetchyFox

Presentation 5:
Finding Synergies in Non-Traditional Markets
COVID-19 has changed the landscape for all sectors of non-traditional dining and shopping. Learn how on campus retail dining directors and operators are reshaping their programs, from using ghost kitchens in closed spaces to electric vehicles that travel to underserved areas on campus, to meet the needs of another captive audience, students.

Speaker: Jim Gregory, Managing Partner, OnCampus Brands

General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

Refreshment And Networking Break  

Session 5: Business Pitch Showcase 

Witness a handful of creative entrepreneurs pitch their concept to a panel of experienced airport and concessions operators who will then provide feedback on the viability of those ideas in the airport environment. 

Participants:
Nap Bar
Sawatch Wellness
Atmosphere TV
Oat Couture Oatmeal Café & Montgomery Scotch Lounge

General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

Opening Night Reception In Experience Hall 

Open to All-Access Badge Holders

Experience Hall Sponsored by Areas USA
Experience Hall Grand Opening Sponsored by Atmosphere TV

Registration Desks Open

Registration Desk & Lanyards Sponsored by Delaware North
Hotel Key Cards Sponsored by Paradies Lagardère
Registration Bags Sponsored by Hudson
Pocket Agenda Sponsored by FraportUSA
Conference App Sponsored by WHSmith-InMotion-Marshall Retail Group

Experience Hall Sponsored by Areas USA

Breakfast and Networking in the Experience Hall
Breakfast Sponsored by MERA Corporation
Coffee Sponsored by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Get a jump on 2023! Meet with the AXN Biz Dev Team to select your 2023 Experience Hall exhibit space and view sponsorship offerings. 

Schmooze: Part 1

We’re mixing it up this year, moving the popular Schmooze sessions to Tuesday morning to enable airport representatives the opportunity to visit concessionaire booths after their initial introduction. In this event, airports and concessionaires meet at scheduled times for one-on-one discussions, speed-dating style.

Refreshment Break
Coffee Sponsored by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Sponsored by MAG USA

Experience Hall Open
Experience Hall Sponsored by Areas USA

Networking in the Experience Hall

Sponsored by Duty Free Holdings
Experience Hall Sponsored by Areas USA

Lunch In The Experience Hall 

Sponsored by Qdoba
Experience Hall Sponsored by Areas USA

Tuesday, March 1
1:15 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Panzacola

Part 1:
1:15 PM- 2:00 PM

Part 2:
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

 

Session 6: Evolving Airport/Concessionaire Relationships

Both airport and concessions executives broadly agree that the old way of doing business may not make sense anymore. The pandemic eviscerated the terms of traditional airport-concessionaire contracts – in many cases alterations made to those terms nearly two years ago are still in flux today. As the dust settles and new contracts come up for bid, what’s the best framework? In Part 1, panelists will lay the groundwork with airports sharing funding realities and priorities, and concessionaires sharing financial realities as recovery continues. In Part 2, panelists will tackle issues of lease terms, pricing policies, build-out costs, MAGs and more.

Part 1: Chasing Profitability: Funding, Finances, and the Long-Term Impact of the Pandemic

Moderator: Andrew Tellijohn, Senior Writer, Airport Experience^® News

Speakers:
Kevin Burke, President and CEO, Airports Council International - North America
Andrew Weddig, Executive Director, Airport Restaurant & Retail Association

Part 2: Airport-Concessionaire Business Model Evolution

Moderator: Rebecca Ramsey, Executive Director, R. R. Ramsey Research

Speakers: 
Tim Barnes, Senior Director, Commercial Services, Calgary International Airport
Carlos Bernal, CEO, Areas USA
Mookie Patel, Chief Business and Finance Officer, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Bob Wilson, Group President of Travel, Delaware North

General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

Get a jump on 2023! Meet with the AXN Biz Dev Team to select your 2023 Experience Hall exhibit space and view sponsorship offerings.

Experience Hall Sponsored by Areas USA

Session 7: Surviving And Thriving As An ACDBE

Obtaining financing has been a challenge for airport concessions disadvantaged business enterprise operators in airports. Even pre-COVID, operators were calling on airports to take a more direct role in helping with financing challenges. Now, with those prime partners struggling to put their own balance sheets back in order, airports and small operators likely must find new ways to ensure that small businesses have the opportunity to compete for space and operate successfully.

Moderator: Kimberly Griffin, CEO, DBE Consulting

Speakers: 
Inez Daniels, CEO and Founder, Fresher ATL
Everett Sands, CEO, Lendistry
Bob Silvas, President, Silvy Group

General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

Experience Hall Happy Hour

Sponsored by Jackmont Hospitality

Speakers’ Dinner

Invitation Only

Sponsored by SSP America

Registration Desks Open

Registration Desk & Lanyards Sponsored by ReachTVDelaware North
Hotel Key Cards Sponsored by Paradies Lagardère
Registration Bags Sponsored by Hudson
Pocket Agenda Sponsored by Fraport USA
Conference App Sponsored by WHSmith-InMotion-Marshall Retail Group

Breakfast and Networking in the Experience Hall

Coffee Sponsored by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Experience Hall Sponsored by Areas USA

Refreshment and Networking in the Experience Hall

Coffee Sponsored by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Get a jump on 2023! Meet with the AXN Biz Dev Team to select your 2023 Experience Hall exhibit space and view sponsorship offerings.

Lunch in the Experience Hall

Experience Hall Closing

Session 9: Director Panel
AXN’s annual panel of airport directors brings together some of the industry’s most dynamic leaders for a discussion on key challenges and opportunities. This year’s group will discuss the latest on pandemic recovery, infrastructure financing, revenue generation, customer service strategies, technology and more.

Moderator: Carol Ward, Editor-in-Chief, Airport Experience^® News
Speakers:
Cynthia Guidry, Director, Long Beach Airport
Chad Makovsky, Directory of Aviation Services, City of Phoenix
Tom Nolan, President & CEO, Orlando Sanford International Airport
Phillip Washington, CEO, Denver International Airport

Sponsored by HMSHost
General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

Refreshment And Networking Break

Session 10: Airport Opportunities

Airport terminal construction and renovation has picked up steam again, and with the new activity comes a range of new opportunities for concessionaires. In this session airport representatives will discuss their upcoming opportunities in concessions and other revenue-generating areas.  

Coordinator: Shafer Ross, Associate Editor, Airport Experience^® News

Airport Opportunities Sponsored by Mission Yogurt
General Session Room Sponsored by ReachTV

AX Closing Event 

Join us for cocktails to celebrate the wrap-up of the 2022 AX Conference! In this year’s program, we will honor AXN’s 2022 Directors of the Year, plus the 2022 Property Manager of the Year and AX's newest recognition - the AX Icon Award.

Closing Event Sponsored by Crews