BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry announced that Aviation Department Director Kent G. George is retiring later this year.
His proposed replacement, Mark E. Gale, is in Fort Lauderdale Tuesday meeting with County commissioners.
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Gale is expected to take over as director of aviation for Broward County in March, including leadership of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and North Perry Airport (HWO). Gale recently left Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) after serving as the airport's chief executive officer for seven of his nearly 28 years there.
Gale graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, located in Daytona Beach, Florida, and joined Philadelphia International full-time in 1989.
From 1996 to 2000, Gale was airport operations manager. In 2001, as deputy director of aviation for operations and facilities, he supervised managers in security, safety, maintenance, information technology, engineering design, construction, emergency plans, grounds, and snow removal. Gale also managed daily operations at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, a general aviation reliever airport. In 2009 he became the airport's chief executive officer.
Gale was named Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) Executive of the Year in 2012, received the SmartCEO Circle of Excellence Award in Hospitality in 2013, and received the Sec. Ray LaHood "Man of the Year Award" in 2015 by Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS), Philadelphia Chapter.
George began his career with Broward County in October 2007 after more than 40 years in the aviation industry. Among his accomplishments at FLL was the execution of the Broward County Commission's vision to build a new South Runway, which opened under budget in September 2014.
He added a major terminal modernization program and $2.3 billion capital improvement program at the airport. In 2015, the western portion of Terminal 4 opened with five new gates and a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification.
In 2012 George was honored by Airport Revenue News as Airport Director of the Year for the large airports category. In 2013 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Southern Region recognized George as its Air Carrier Airport Manager of the Year.
George is expected to work with the department through a transition period.