Houston Airport System, which operates George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William Hobby Airport (HOU), has named Kelly Woodward as its new chief operating officer (COO), responsible for executing the strategic initiatives of Houston Airports, enhancing efficiency within divisions, collaborating with airport stakeholders and maintaining operational excellence throughout the organization.
Woodward, who becomes Houston Airports first woman COO, brings decades worth of experience to her new role, most recently serving as a managing director with AvAirPros, overseeing operational readiness, terminal systems integration, move sequence teams, and baggage handling systems teams for the IAH Terminal B Transformation.
She previously worked for Houston Airports, which also manages Ellington Airport (EFD) and the Houston Spaceport, from 2002 to 2023 in various leadership roles in operations, contract services, custodial services and interim general manager of IAH.
“Kelly Woodward’s wealth of experience and leadership skills make her the perfect fit for the role of chief operating officer,” said Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation. “We are excited to have her back on the Houston Airports team. I have full confidence in her ability to drive our strategic initiatives forward.”
