ACI-NA Highlights -
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Published on: 11/18/1999
Last Visited: 2/25/2004
Secretary General Alex Strahl to Step Down Alexander Strahl, Secretary General of ACI, has announced that he will be leaving ACI on 31 December 2003, after 32 years of dedicated service during which he helped build and lead the organization.
Soon after he obtained a doctoral degree from the University of Geneva's Faculty of Economics & Social Sciences, Alex Strahl was recruited to head the newly formed Secretariat of Airport Associations Coordinating Council (AACC), established at Geneva International Airport in April 1972.AACC's prime objective was to coordinate the activities of the then three international airport organizations (AOCI, ICAA and WEAA) and represent them collectively with ICAO, IATA, IFALPA and many other governmental and non-governmental international aviation organizations.
In this capacity, from 1972 until 1991, Alex Strahl ensured that the voice of airports would be heard loud and clear at major international aviation gatherings and that their interests would be promoted effectively.
When AACC became ACI in 1991, Alex Strahl was appointed Secretary General.He is credited with having operated a seamless smooth transition and for having assembled a strong team of professionals to launch and develop the new organization.
For the last 12 years, he managed ACI's day-to-day operations, while working with successive Chairmen, Directors General and the HQ dedicated team in raising the profile of the organization worldwide, launching numerous business initiatives, most notably the World Business Partners program and joint ventures with industry partners, thus boosting visibility and ensuring financial strength.During that period, thanks to aggressive recruitment campaigns by HQ and regional offices, ACI's membership was propelled to a record of 556 members operating over 1500 airports in 170 countries and territories.In just over a decade, ACI had thus become a truly universal organization, respected by all its partners in civil aviation.
Among the many achievements of recent years, Alex Strahl is particularly proud of ACI's increasing popularity in Africa, China, Vietnam, the Indian Subcontinent, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America/Caribbean.Dozens of airports and airport systems in those countries and regions have joined ACI which in turn has done its best to support them in their efforts to become world-class airports.This commitment must continue in the interest of the entire airport community and international civil aviation in general.
As Chairman of ACI, I have been closely associated with Alex Strahl over the last few years.As a conscientious and perspective person, he took great pains to efficiently carry out his responsibilities as Secretary General.In recognizing the extent of his commitment to ACI, in my personal opinion, all members should honour him for his relentless efforts.