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G. Hardy Acree, County Airport Director Piloting A Major Hub

By Janis Dice

It’s 6:30 a.m. on a weekday and, while most people are squeezing five more minutes of sleep from the snooze button, G. Hardy Acree is at his desk, tending to scores of emails from East Coast counterparts and lobbyists in Washington. As Airport Director for Sacramento County, Acree is eager for the day to lift off.
    “I’m one of those people who can’t wait to get to work in the morning,” he says. “I have a passion for wanting to make a difference.”
    Acree started making his mark five years ago when he arrived in Sacramento from Houston, where he served as Deputy Director of Airports, which included the sixth-busiest international airport in the United States, a hub he describes as a major player on the world stage.
    Under Acree’s leadership, Sacramento International may become the next rising star in global transportation. Sacramento International offers service from 13 major carriers and one commuter airline, with more than 150 scheduled departures per day. From September 2004 to August 2005, the airport served more than 10 million passengers. The numbers rose 7.9 percent in 2004, with an additional 6.5 percent increase in 2005, with more growth to come, he says.
    Overseeing Sacramento International, Mather, Executive and Franklin Field airports, Acree manages an annual operating budget of about $80 million. He estimates the capital budget at $1.7 billion for the 15- to 20-year outlook. Managing millions doesn’t faze Acree: “What does scare me is a terrorist threat. Before 9/11, no one thought airplanes would be used as weapons of mass destruction.”
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