The Gary/Chicago International Airport (GCIA) announced the appointment of Daniel Vicari as its incoming executive director on January 12, 2022. GCIA is Chicago’s 3rd official airport and is the premier mid-sized airport in the region. This appointment marks a return to the airport for Vicari, who had previously served as the GCIA Executive Director from 2015 – 2018 and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Gary Sanitary District. He will officially begin his new role on January 12th and will step down from the Gary Sanitary District at the same time to focus his full attention on the airport.
“This is an exciting time for the airport as it continues to expand its amenities and improve its offerings to our customers and tenants alike, and I look forward to the airport continuing to play a critical role as an economic engine for the region,” Vicari said. “GCIA possesses a number of advantages that will benefit the City of Gary, Northwest Indiana and the Chicago Metropolitan Area in the coming years and I look forward to hitting the ground running as we continue to improve the airports offerings.”
Vicari replaces Executive Director Col. Duane Hayden, who recently departed the airport after serving in that position for the prior four years. Vicari assumes a position he is well-acquainted with, having been the executive director of the airport during an extensive period of growth, including the extension of the airport’s main runway to nearly 9,000 feet, making it the second longest in the region of O’Hare International Airport.
“We appreciate Mr. Hayden’s service to our airport and wish him well in his future endeavors as we look undertake this leadership transition to Mr. Vicari,” said Trent McCain, Vice Chairman of the Gary / Chicago International Airport Authority. “We are excited to welcome Mr. Vicari back to the airport, and his extensive experience and knowledge will be critical as we move into the next chapter of this important economic engine for Northwest Indiana.”
Vicari returns to the airport at a time of significant growth and improvement as it continues to serve as a sought-after destination for general aviation and air cargo services. The airport has seen significant investment in its private and public offerings over the past decade, including the creation of its state-of-the-art U.S. Customs and Border Protection Facility, several new terminals and hangers for the airports Fixed-Base-Operators and serving as a critical cargo services hub for its new tenant UPS, who just completed their initial year of air cargo operations out of the airport.
