On Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, Metropolitan Airport News had the pleasure of being asked by The New Terminal One (NTO) and the John F. Kennedy International Airport Chamber of Commerce (JFK COC) to participate in an engaging and informative discussion about the progress being made at NTO.
The discussion took place during a luncheon held at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, in Garden City, NY. After being introduced by the JFK Chamber of Commerce President, Joseph Morra, I moderated a ‘fireside chat’ with keynote speaker Jennifer Aument, CEO of the NTO, before a completely sold-out audience of airport community members.
Seated at the podium inside the Museum’s expansive Visitor Center Atrium, Jennifer shared her personal experiences relocating to New York and the goals for the project before the new terminal opens to the public in 2026. She was warm, gracious, and informative, and her passion for this unique $9.5 billion project in our JFK Airport community is absolutely palpable.
The JFK Airport Chamber of Commerce was established in 1978 by a group of business people in the JFK Airport area. They aimed to create a platform for this community to gather and discuss their common concerns. Interestingly enough, I also learned that my father-in-law, who owned a hardware and locksmith shop on Rockaway Boulevard, was one of those business people. Passing the business down to his sons, the family business helped sustain our family’s livelihood for over 50 years. You learn something new every day!
Since then, the JFK Chamber has been successful in enhancing the general welfare of the airport community by fostering better relationships between business people and various governmental agencies at the federal, state, city, and local levels. Its membership is diverse, reflecting the character of business at the airport.
Members include companies from the airlines, air cargo, hospitality, and terminal operators, as well as those servicing the airport, such as healthcare, financial services, facility maintenance, security, and even publishing. Any service provided in a town or city across the U.S. can also be found within the airport.
Going strong since 1978, the JFK Airport Chamber of Commerce has retained its mission statement to serve the aviation industry in and around the airport. It continues to be very proactive in getting to know its members and networking with each other. That feeling of community and mission was truly evident at the October luncheon. Long may it run!
