2026 Conference Presentations
Session 1: Welcome and Introduction
Welcome & Opening Remarks - Dawoud Stevenson, A.A.E., GAA President, Senior Director of Program Management, Savannah Airport Commission
Welcome to Savannah - Michael Owens, President & CEO, Tourism Leadership Council Savannah
Presentation of the Colors - Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia
Special Message - Governor Brian P. Kemp
Session 2: Legislative Session,
Moderator: Edward Lindsey, Partner, Parks, Chesin & Walbert, P.C. Speakers: Members of the Georgia State Legislature
- No Presentation Slides
Session 3: Telling your Airport Story/ Working with Local Government
Moderator: Lauren E. Smith, Deputy Executive Director, Augusta Regional Airport
Speakers: Lori Walderich, Airport Branding & Marketing Specialist, Aviator, Author, IdeaStudio Branding & Marketing
John Howard, Mayor City of Monroe, GA
Session 4: Airport Roundtables -
Moderators: Van Mills, Jr., Airport Manager, Baxley Municipal Airport
Matthew L. Smith, C.M., ACE, GAA Past President, Airport Director Gwinnett County Airport
- No Presentation Slides
Session 5: AI at the Airport: What It Pays For, What It Exposes and Building One Live
Moderator: Dawoud Stevenson, A.A.E., GAA President, Senior Director of Program Management, Savannah Airport Commission
Speaker: Joseph Bonanno, Co-Founder & President, Archetype SC
Session 6: Height Restriction Legislation Passed, What Next?
Moderator: Andrew Wiersma, Airport Manager, Dalton Municipal Airport (DNN)
Speakers: Dexter Wells, Former Airport Manager and Current Public Services Director Troup County GA
Chris Cary, Senior Planner, Planning and Zoning Department, Glynn County GA.
Alexander Mooney, P.E., Project Manager, Benesh
Joseph Robinson, Aviation, Kimley-Horn
Session 7: Leveraging Emerging Technology at Airports
Moderator: Dawoud Stevenson, A.A.E., GAA President, Senior Director of Program Management, Savannah Airport Commission
Speaker/s: Royce Holden, Cybersecurity and AI Market Leader, Mead & Hunt
Jerry Schwinghammer, Director of Technology Transformation, Cignus
Session 8: General Aviation and Economic Development
Moderator: Chris Bailey, Assistant City Administrator, Cy Nunnally Memorial Airport (D73)
Speaker/s: Brecca Carter, Director, Villa Rica Community & Economic Development
Scott Berta, Manager of Industrial Development, Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG)
Serra P. Hall, Executive Director, Newton County Industrial Development Authority
- No Presentation Slides
Session 9: Fuel Systems 101 and Expensive Common Mistakes
Moderator: James Marquardt, Airport Manager, Perry Houston County Airport
Speakers: Steve Sowder, Sales and Quality Control, Perry Brothers Aviation Fuels
Session 10: Aviation Industry Updates,
Moderator: Terra Winslett, C.M., Director of Airport Property and Marketing, Glynn County Airport Commission (BQK and SSI)
Speaker/s: Parks Preston, Manager ATL-ADO, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Colette Edmisten, A.A.E., Aviation Program Manager, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)