Sue Baer, former director of aviation at the Port Authority of New York-New Jersey, died Tuesday night after an illness. Baer, who spent 35 years with PANYNJ, was most recently the global aviation leader for Arup, a global firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists.
Baer, was named director of aviation at PANYNJ in 2009 after her predecessor, William R. DeCota, passed away suddenly. During her tenure, she became the only person in Port Authority history to manage the agency’s three major airports: John F. Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark Liberty International (EWR).
As director, she oversaw a staff of 930 PANYNJ employees, more than 3,500 contract staff, a $2.3 billion operating budget and a $500 million annual capital budget.
She announced her retirement from PANYNJ in May 2013 at age 62. Shortly after that she joined Arup. She held three roles simultaneously with the organization: In addition to being global aviation lead, she was Americas aviation leader and global planning leader.
While her accomplishments as an airport leader are strong, Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge remembers Baer as one of the first people she met after becoming director at Lambert-St. Louis International (STL) in 2010.
They met at the Airports Council International – North America CEO Forum and immediately became friends. Hamm-Niebruegge was anxious about knowing very few people when she met Baer in the back of a conference session.
“She walked over to me and chuckled about needing a glass of wine, then introduced herself,” Hamm-Niebruegge says. “From that day on, we started a friendship that I have treasured dearly. Over the next two days we got to know each other and Sue became my biggest fan. She introduced me to everyone and made sure that I felt welcome and at home.”
The pair had many conversations over the last six years – most of them about family and “what really matters in the world,” Hamm-Niebruegge adds. “In this hectic and sometimes unpleasant place in which we live, Sue always found peace and happiness. By her love and laughter, she made us feel better about ourselves and those around us.”
Greg Principato, president and CEO of National Association of State Aviation Officials, echoes Hamm-Niebruegge’s sentiments. Despite Baer’s success in aviation, he says, Baer most enjoyed talking about her family. She “moved with the global airport elite, but never forgot what was important,” he says.
Her accomplishments at PANYNJ and industry-wide are notable as well, says Principato, whose tenure as president and CEO of Airports Council International – North America overlapped with Baer’s period of leadership at the Port Authority.
“Sue Baer was a unique and strong airport leader,” he says. “Not just because she ran all three major PANYNJ airports and not just because she was aviation director for the PANYNJ. Sue knew how to create, sell and implement her vision. She was tireless in the face of the toughest obstacles.”
Her skills as an industry leader included the ability to work with people from all facets of the industry and she was a tremendous advocate for airports, says Deborah McElroy, executive vice president of ACI-NA.
“She skillfully worked with airlines, airports and government officials to find common-sense solutions to help modernize airports and the air traffic control system for the benefit of passengers and their communities,” McElroy says. “Sue was a pioneer in the airport industry and was committed to helping expand the opportunities for other women in aviation. Her leadership, enthusiasm and dedication will be missed.”
Anthony Coscia, who was chairman of the Port Authority during Baer’s tenure, says he relied on her insight regularly, both when they worked together and in the time since both have moved on.
“Sue was a trusted source of knowledge acquired over her many years in public service, an extremely capable and well-liked leader and absolutely committed to making the New York/New Jersey region a better place,” says Coscia, now a partner with the law firm Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf LLP. “We will miss her a great deal.”
