The Board of Directors of the Birmingham Airport Authority has named Miguel Southwell as interim president and CEO of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), effective Feb. 1. Southwell is stepping in for Al Denson, who retired as BHM’s president and CEO on Jan. 19.
Southwell is currently president and CEO of Brakkam Aviation Management, a full-service management consulting firm. Southwell will not leave his position at Brakkam while acting as interim president. The Birmingham Airport Authority will be engaging Brakkam for leadership services.
Southwell was formerly the general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). He has more than 30 years of experience in the aviation industry. He holds a master’s degree in international business from City University of New York, and a “Driving Government Performance” certificate from Harvard University’s Executive Education program.
“The [Birmingham Airport Authority] Board felt it urgent to install an interim airport leader, which will permit us time to orderly recruit and transition to a suitably qualified new president and CEO,” says Birmingham Airport Authority Chairman Michael Bell. “In engaging the services of Brakkam, [the authority] is assured of having an experienced and highly qualified airport leader in Mr. Southwell, one who can hit the ground running to prevent an unreasonable interruption in executive leadership.”
