Rochelle “Chellie” Cameron will leave her role as CEO of the City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation, which operates Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE), to join the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia as its new president and CEO.
Cameron will take the helm of the Chamber on July 11, 2022.
With Cameron’s departure, Keith Brune will become acting CEO of the Division of Aviation. A national search will be conducted to identify a permanent successor, Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney announced today.
Brune has been chief operating officer for the City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation since October 2017. In his current role, Brune oversees all day-to-day operations of PHL and PNE, including landside and airside operations, security and maintenance of terminals and facilities, and capital development.
Cameron joined the PHL leadership team in 2011 and was appointed CEO of PHL in January 2016. During her tenure she oversaw the expansion of pre-pandemic passenger traffic to record-breaking numbers; attracted new carriers, routes and destinations to Philadelphia; and oversaw the highly successful PHL cargo program. She initiated PHL’s $1.8 billion Cargo Expansion Strategy, which will nearly triple its air cargo facility footprint.
Previously, Cameron spent 13 years with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) and served for seven years as an active-duty officer in the United States Air Force and one year as an Air Force civilian employee.
Cameron said serving PHL has been an honor. “I am incredibly proud of our accomplishments, especially over the past two years as a global pandemic devastated the aviation industry,” she said. “The airport team is comprised of many talented and innovative people, and I am confident our travelers are in good hands with Keith. I fell in love with Philadelphia when I moved here in 2011—this is my home. I am excited to continue to serve the city and region’s people, businesses and industries with the Chamber of Commerce.”
Cameron also currently serves as vice chair of the Board of Directors for Airports Council International-North America, and has held several leadership positions within the organization. “The airport industry and ACI-NA have benefitted tremendously from the leadership and dedication of Chellie Cameron,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “We know that she will bring the same passion and energy to serving the people of the greater Philadelphia region. She will be missed by the ACI-NA team and her airport colleagues around the country and the world, but we wish her great success.”
