Name: Jamie Rhee
Title: Commissioner
Company, city: Chicago Department of Aviation; Chicago, Illinois
Number of employees: 1,400
Recent project: O’Hare International Airport is continually evolving to better serve travelers. Recent milestones include opening a Multi-Modal Facility that centralizes all rental car operations for the first time and expanding economy parking capacity. We also unveiled a centralized deicing pad that serves all carriers, improving operational efficiency, increasing gate capacity and reducing winter delays at ORD.
First job: My career began at ORD providing foreign language assistance. I later returned to serve as general counsel from 2004–2008.
Little-known fact about you: I grew up on a farm in a small town with only one stoplight!
Your Business
What innovations/initiatives do you foresee in the industry over the next years? Technology will continue to reshape airports. We’ve already seen gains from biometrics and facial recognition, but the next step is reimagining how airport space is used to accommodate rapid technological change. That means designing smarter, more flexible spaces that can adapt as new systems and passenger needs emerge.
Best career advice you’ve received: Early in my public service career someone advised me, “No sudden moves.” Taking time to listen and reach out to others provides valuable perspective. Letting people weigh in helps you grow into the right roles and make more informed decisions.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the field? Consider a career in government. Working for the public sector offers diverse experiences and the chance to meaningfully impact people’s lives every day.
Jamie Rhee as a Traveler
Favorite travel memory or story: While backpacking through Europe with my sister, I took a train from Amsterdam to Paris and ended up locked in the restroom for two and a half hours. My sister had dozed off, and when she later chatted with another passenger about the “person in the bathroom,” I had to tell her the story was about me!
One travel tip you cannot live without: Pack light — I think I’ve finally perfected it. For business travelers, pay attention to your surroundings and share feedback with airports. Fresh perspectives help us improve the passenger experience.
About Chicago Department of Aviation
Air New Zealand recently launched the first-ever flight between New Zealand and Chicago O’Hare. Tell us about other new routes. We are expanding global connectivity and introduced a bid incentive this year that includes marketing support to help airlines launch new routes. In 2018 we announced or launched 17 new destinations, including Avianca to Bogotá, TAP Air Portugal to Lisbon and LOT Polish Airlines to Budapest. Ethiopian Airlines added service to Addis Ababa, and O’Hare is one of only six airports worldwide with direct nonstop service to all major inhabited regions. We’re working to keep that momentum going.
Chicago O’Hare recently won its 15th consecutive GT Tested Reader Survey award as Best Airport in North America. What makes ORD the best? Our employees. They bring passion and dedication to customer service every day. Their commitment to the airport and to treating it as their home is what sets ORD apart.
Update our readers on the progress of O’Hare’s modernization project. Multiple modernization projects are underway across Chicago’s airports, and we prioritize involving local residents and firms. We’ve rolled out incentives to include small, minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses and to inspire local youth to pursue careers in aviation. We were the first North American airport to open a Changing Places facility for travelers with disabilities, and we recently launched a task force focused on improving accessibility for all travelers.
Key projects on the horizon include completing the final runway extension in 2020/2021 and beginning the largest terminal expansion in the airport’s history. The City of Chicago initiated a global search for architect teams to design the new O’Hare Global Terminal and two satellite concourses, the centerpiece of the expansion. Later this year we expect to break ground on an extension of Terminal 5, which will add nine gates to support greater global connectivity. These projects will add space for new amenities, concessions and increased travel options, enhancing the traveler experience from curb to gate.