Tom Ruth, the president and CEO of Edmonton Airports, will leave his position at the end of 2022, the organization’s board of directors said. Ruth has led Edmonton Airports, which operates Edmonton International Airport (YEG), for the past nine years.
Ruth will work with the board of directors in the search for his successor, and will continue to lead all aspects of Edmonton Airports and to guide the transition to the next leader before his departure at year-end. The global search will start with an RFP for an executive search firm to assist in the process.
Under Ruth’s leadership, YEG has seen significant growth in both passenger and air cargo service, connecting the Edmonton Metropolitan Region with direct flights to more than 50 destinations within Canada, the U.S. and Europe, and cargo to and from Asia.
Ruth has also advanced development of the Airport City Sustainability Campus at EIA, with more than $1.3 billion dollars in private investment, including hotels, a casino, shopping centers, major business and innovation developments including its five-year innovation expansion strategy. He has overseen the development of technology and agriculture accelerators connecting local and international businesses to new markets. In addition, EIA will soon welcome Airport City Solar, the largest solar farm at an airport in the world.
“I’m so proud to work with such a strong team of dedicated, passionate employees at our airports,” Ruth said. “It has been an honor and a pleasure to lead Edmonton International Airport and Villeneuve Airport for the past nine years, and when my time wraps at the end of 2022, I will look back and treasure this time in my career. We have accomplished so much together at our airports, creating positive economic impact and sustainable jobs within our vibrant Edmonton region. We grew air service and international cargo capacity, attracted more than a billion dollars of private investment to our region and accelerated our bold ESG initiatives even during the challenges of COVID.”
Joan Hertz, chair of the Edmonton Airports board of directors, called Ruth a “game-changer” for the organization. “Our board, our economic development partners, governments, our regional mayors and the entire community have benefited immensely from his leadership, his vision and his ability to imagine what’s possible and make it happen. Thanks to Tom’s leadership, EIA is well-positioned to take advantage of our bold plans for growth and innovation in the coming years.”
