IN THEIR OWN WORDS How is accreditation impacting careers, operations and airports? ISSUE #28 | SPRING 2026 THE ACCREDITATION ISSUE Skyward THE IAAE CANADA AIRPORT MAGAZINE AND MORE! EXCLUSIVE! AN UPDATE FROM IAAE CANADA’S CHAIR Insights into how accreditation supports career excellence. THE VALUE OF ACCREDITATION Insights into how accreditation supports career excellence. A.A.E. IS SHAPING FUTURE LEADERS Graduates share their reasons for pursuing accreditation. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES CANADA IAAE CANADA’S OFFICIAL MAGAZINE WWW.IAAECANADA.ORGwww.iaaecanada.org | Spring 2026 Skyward: The IAAE Canada Airport Magazine Published for: IAAE Canada Peterborough Regional Airport 925 Airport Road, Unit 550 Peterborough ON K9J 0E7 Phone: 1-800-878-IAAE (4223) headquarters@iaaecanada.org www.iaaecanada.org Printed by: Matrix Group Publishing Inc. 309 Youville Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2S9 Toll-free: (866) 999-1299 Toll-free fax: (866) 244-2544 sales@matrixgroupinc.net www.matrixgroupinc.net President & CEO Jack Andress Operations Manager Shoshana Weinberg sweinberg@matrixgroupinc.net Senior Publisher Jessica Potter jpotter@matrixgroupinc.net Publishers Julie Welsh, Christine Scarisbrick Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net Editors Jenna Collignon, Kaitlin Vitt, Paul Adair Social Media Manager Jenna Collignon Finance/Administration Lloyd Weinberg, Nathan Redekop accounting@matrixgroupinc.net Director of Circulation & Distribution Lloyd Weinberg distribution@matrixgroupinc.net Sales Manager Jeff Cash jcash@matrixgroupinc.net Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Account Executives Ana Baez, Colleen Bell, Jackie Casburn, Chandler Cousins, Paolo Cruz, Rob Gibson, Wilma Gray-Rose, Jim Hamilton, Craig Hornell, Frank Kenyeres, Brendan Kidney, Sandra Kirby, Andrew Lee, Brian MacIntyre, Chad Morris, Lynn Murphy, Monique Simons Advertising Design James Robinson Layout & Design travisbevan.com © 2026 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada. CONTENTSUP FRONT 07 MEET IAAE CANADA’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS 09 A MESSAGE FROM IAAE CANADA’S CHAIR 11 A MESSAGE FROM IAAE CANADA’S INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 13 WHY SHOULD YOU BE A PART OF IAAE CANADA? FEATURE 14 LEADING WITH CREDIBILITY The A.A.E. designation is shaping how Canada’s airport leaders demonstrate expertise, earn trust and navigate an increasingly complex industry. 18 THE A.A.E. ADVANTAGE Inside the designation behind stronger leadership and decision- making across Canada’s airports. 22 IN THEIR OWN WORDS Airport leaders reflect on the professional impact of earning IAAE Canada accreditation. 24 STRENGTHENING THE AIRPORT ECOSYSTEM How the A.A.P. designation connects and supports the professionals working alongside airports. 26 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS 5 1824 14Spring 2026 | www.iaaecanada.org 6UP FRONT www.iaaecanada.org | Spring 2026 7 CHAIR Trent Gervais, A.A.E. President & CEO The Loomex Group VICE CHAIR Currie Russell, A.A.E. Airport Construction Operations Coordinator Region of Waterloo International Airport SECRETARY Sheila McGuigan, A.A.E. Senior Project Manager WSP Canada TREASURER Terry Bos, A.A.E. President & CEO Sault Ste. Marie Airport Development Corporation BOARD MEMBER Gerry Vanderhoek, A.A.E. Manager Commercial Services & Passenger Experience London International Airport BOARD MEMBER Laura Mortensen, A.A.P. President & CEO Curiosity Analysis and Consulting Corp. BOARD MEMBER Diana Dolezal, A.A.E. Director, Deicing Operations GTAA BOARD MEMBER Chris Pearce, A.A.E. Airport Duty Manager Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport BOARD MEMBER Richard J. Guinot, A.A.E. Airport Operations Coordinator Region of Waterloo International Airport BOARD MEMBER Ryan Bert-Vidal, A.A.E. Airside Coordinator Capital Projects, Integration and Readiness Vancouver Airport Authority BOARD MEMBER Don Goulard, A.A.E. Vice President, Operations & Regulatory Affairs Nanaimo Airport Commission BOARD MEMBER Eric Desnoyers, A.A.E. Facilities Manager Saskatoon International Airport BOARD MEMBER Maxx Kochar, A.A.E. Director of Airports The Loomex Group CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE Kelvin Williamson Managing Director North America LNT Solutions Meet IAAE Canada’s Board of Directors TRAINING PROGRAMS&COURSES BuildYourSkills.StrengthenCompliance. AdvanceYourCareer. IAAECanadaoffersarangeoftrainingcoursesforairportprofessionals acrossCanada.Currentofferingsinclude: Formoreinformationandtoregistervisit: www.iaaecanada.org/training TP312–5thEdition(In-person) QualityAssuranceAuditing&CorrectiveAction(Virtual) SMS&HumanFactors(Virtual) AirportWildlifeManagement(Virtual) HazardRegisterWorkshop(Virtual) AircraftMovementSurfaceConditionReportingCourses(online) Morecourseswillbeaddedthroughouttheyear.Spring 2026 | www.iaaecanada.org 8www.iaaecanada.org | Spring 2026 UP FRONT 9 H ello, everyone. Since the last issue of our magazine, I’ve had the privilege of stepping into the role of Chair of the IAAE Canada Board of Directors. To start, I want to thank Terry Bos for his leadership and commitment during his time as Chair. Terry’s steady guidance helped move the association forward, and I’m very pleased he will continue supporting the organization in his role as Treasurer. We’ve also experienced some leadership transition within the association. Following the departure of our previous Executive Director, we welcomed Brock Penner as Interim Executive Director for a 12-month term. Brock has been working closely with the Board to introduce new tools and processes that strengthen how we serve our members. This includes the rollout of our new membership management platform, Glue Up, along with improvements to internal systems and processes and the beginning of a refresh of our brand. We hope members are beginning to see positive improvements across the organization. In November 2025, the Board of Directors also convened to advance our strategic planning efforts and begin shaping the future direction of the association. Those discussions are helping guide how we strengthen our programs, expand our services and continue delivering meaningful value to airport professionals across the country. As Chair, my goal over the next three years is to ensure IAAE Canada remains one of Canada’s leading associations advancing the profession of airport management. That means continuing to build on the strong foundation of professional development opportunities our members rely on. Training has long been one of the cornerstones of IAAE Canada. For many years, we have offered cours- es covering a variety of airport operations and management topics that support professionals at every stage of their careers. In the coming months and years, members will begin to see our training programs continue to expand and evolve as we look for new ways to support the learning and development needs of our industry. This issue of the magazine focuses on one of the most important pillars of our association: accreditation. The Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.) and Accredited Airport Professional (A.A.P.) designations represent the highest standard of professional achievement in our industry and promote continuous learning, leadership development and knowledge sharing across our community. I’ve been particularly inspired by the many stories and testimonials our accredited professionals have shared throughout this issue. Each one highlights how the accreditation journey strengthens leadership skills, builds confidence and deepens understanding of the complex role airports play in the communities they serve. Accreditation is more than a credential. It represents a commitment to professional excellence and to advancing the aviation industry in Canada. I encourage members at every stage of their career to explore the program and consider taking the next step in their professional journey. Finally, I look forward to seeing many of you at the F.O.A.M. Conference in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Trent Gervais, A.A.E. Chair, Board of Directors IAAE Canada Accreditation represents a commit- ment to professional excellence and to advancing the aviation industry in Canada. MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD Trent Gervais, A.A.E.Next >