The Port Authority of NYNJ has appointed James Gill General Manager of Newark Liberty International Airport.  Gill is an aviation veteran with 20 years of senior leadership experience in the industry.

Effective Monday, January 27, Gill, will take over the reins of Newark Liberty International Airport which is undergoing a major transformation in the years ahead, and Teterboro Airport as well.

In this role, Gill will be focused on the delivery of more than $5 billion in planned improvements at Newark, improving the customer experience for more than 46 million annual passengers and delivering world-class facilities, as the development of a new Terminal One continues and planning advances for a new Terminal Two and a replacement of the AirTrain system.

Gill worked as a Director with the Business and Finance group at LeighFisher, advising aviation industry clients in fiscal planning and management for airports. At the Allegheny County Airport Authority (Pittsburgh International Airport and Allegheny County Airport), he served in several leadership roles including Director of Finance, Executive Vice President & CFO, Chief Strategy & Financial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. He also served as CFO / Deputy Airport Director for Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority and President & CEO of Gerald R. Ford International Airport. 

Previously, Jim Gill was the president and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority in Grand Rapids, MI. In this role, he worked to build strategic relationships between the airport and partner organizations while attracting more customers through additional nonstop routes. He also oversaw the initial phase of a $45 million project to streamline security checkpoints, renovate a business center, and create a new post-security marketplace with a Starbucks and a new restaurant. 

Gill received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an MBA from Duquesne University. He is an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.), an International Airport Professional (AIP), and a Certified Public Accountant.

As Gill transitions into his new role, Douglas Stearns – who has been serving as Interim General Manager of NJ Airports – will be moving into the Port Authority Aviation Director’s Office as Senior Advisor, driving all of the department’s priority initiatives aligned with the three pillars of our strategic vision – investment in our airports, focus on customer experience, and implementing 21st century governance