Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Jamie Rhee on Thursday announced her retirement, effective April 15, 2025. Rhee was appointed in 2018 and has overseen transformational projects at both O’Hare and Midway International Airports.
The change came after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson reportedly said earlier this week that he regrets keep on some city appointees from previous administrations. CBS News Chicago reported that the mayor, speaking at a south side Chicago church, said he wished he “would have cleaned house faster” after taking office in 2023.
The news report quoted Mayor Johnson as saying he was “trying to show Godly presentation” by working with holdovers from previous administrations but, in hindsight, that was a mistake. “If you ain’t with us, you just gotta go,” he reportedly said.
Rhee was appointed to her post in 2018 by then Mayor Rahm Emanuel. She is one of three Chicago officials appointed during previous mayoral administrations who are exiting their positions.
“I am eternally grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me and am extremely proud of the work that’s been accomplished to move our city and our airports forward,” Rhee said in a statement from the mayor’s office announcing her retirement. “I would like to thank my team at the Department of Aviation and my colleagues for their incredible dedication to public service.”
In the same statement, Mayor Johnson thanked Rhee for her service and noted that her “unwavering commitment to diverse businesses of all types and sizes has opened countless doors for Chicagoans who have been shut out for far too long.”
As commissioner, Rhee oversaw both Midway Airport (MDW) and O’Hare International Airport (ORD), which is in the midst of an $8.5 billion renovation. Among the many accomplishments during her tenure, Rhee modernized Terminal 5 at ORD, managed the completion of the Midway Modernization Program and expanded the airport’s security checkpoint, managed the reconfiguration of ORD’s airfield and secured federal funding for various projects.
Rhee has been an influential leader in the North American airport industry. She was named AXN’s Director of the Year in 2022.
The mayor’s statement did not detail plans for a successor.
