SSP America has promoted aviation leader John Clark to Senior Vice President of Development Airports and Airlines. Clark will act as the key liaison with airport executives and industry associations, and will be the primary interface between American and Canadian airlines and SSP America.
Commenting on the new appointment, Pat Murray, SSP’s Deputy CEO said: “John’s leadership was particularly crucial during the last few years as the industry worked collaboratively through the Airport Retail and Restaurant Association to advocate for measures which mitigated the pandemic’s impact on our business. John’s expertise and steady leadership were crucial as we navigated the pandemic.”
Having been with SSP America since 2015 Clark is described as a highly accomplished, senior airport executive with extensive, firsthand knowledge of airport operations across North America having served as director and CEO of three US airports. He is an accredited airport executive, having served on the board of directors for the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE); as chair of Airports Council International North America (ACI-NA), as well as on the Council’s board of directors; on the executive committee of Airports Council International’s (ACI) World Governing Board and as the chair of the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC).
Michael Svagdis, CEO also weighed in on Clark’s appointment saying: “the North American aviation restaurant industry, and SSP America, have gone through incredible change in the last few years. John’s leadership and passion for our company are critical to making sure we work collaboratively with our industry partners. Our goal is to ultimately deliver a world-class culinary experience and create rewarding career opportunities for our team members, and Clark is a key part of our ability to achieve those goals.”
