US President Joe Biden is nominating Phil Washington, the chief executive officer of the Denver International Airport, to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). If confirmed, Washington would become the FAA’s first Black permanent leader.
Washington’s nomination to lead the agency, and its nearly 45,000 employees, comes after Steve Dickson left the post halfway into his term at the end of March. The Trump appointee cited family issues in his resignation.
After this, Billy Nolen, the FAA’s safety chief, was named as the acting administrator.
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Phil Washington: Biden’s nominee for FAA administrator
Prior to heading the Denver International Airport, Washington was the CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). At Metro, Washington managed a budget of more than $8 billion and oversaw 11,000 employees that transported 1.2 million boarding passengers daily on a fleet of 2,200 clean-air buses and six rail lines.
Washington also previously served as the CEO of Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) and worked as the assistant general manager of RTD for nearly 10 years before being named CEO.
Originally from the South Side of Chicago, Washington is a 24-year veteran of the US Army, where he held the rank of Command Sergeant Major. He retired from active duty, is a disabled veteran, and was awarded the prestigious Defense Superior Service Medal for exceptional service to his country. He holds a B.A. in Business from Columbia College, and an M.A. in Management from Webster University.
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