Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) introduced its pilot Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Academy on June 20. The Academy consists of four modules designed to:

• Assist small, regional, diverse firms, to better understand opportunities found in the concessions program at PHL and other airports
• Increase the number and capacity of ACDBE firms
• Develop ACDBEs into new and/or expanded roles
• Discuss PHL’s current concessions program and the requirements and benefits of becoming an ACDBE

Potential concessionaires were greeted by many of PHL’s executive team, including CEO Atif Saeed, Chief Revenue Officer Jim Tyrrell, and Chief Administrative Officer Delicsha Wilds. The Academy, designed by PHL’s Office of Business Diversity is a collaborative effort with the Airport’s Revenue Office and MarketPlace PHL.  Denise Bailey, PHL’s Deputy Director of Aviation for Business Diversity and Accessibility said, “This Academy is an important effort in the Airport’s mission to create a level playing field for opportunities and increase the capacity of ACDBEs.” 

MarketPlace PHL is a private partner with the Airport, responsible for developing and managing PHL’s food and shops program.  MarketPlace PHL is a joint venture between MarketPlace Development and LeJeune and Associates, LLC, a Philadelphia-based ACDBE.  LeJeune and Associates President and CEO Clarence LeJeune and Executive Vice President Melwood Hannah contributed significantly to the conversation. They offered real life situational observations on day-to-day operations. As the Academy is an educational forum, there are no guarantees that participation will result in obtaining a space at PHL. Guests were encouraged to attend future modules to gain as much information as possible on concessions opportunities and operations.

During module one, participants took full advantage of the unique opportunity they had to hear directly from decision makers. With no questions off  limits, they were able to ask questions directly to Airport and MarketPlace PHL representatives. According to PHL’s Deputy Director Revenue Officer Adam Mitchell, “We are very appreciative of the high community interest, and the support of local chambers of commerce and other stakeholders that recommended a dynamic cohort of small businesses for this program.”

The next modules are:

Module 2: Identifying and competing for opportunities

Module 3: The Money Module

Module 4: Operations

Although registration for the 2023 ACDBE Academy is closed, businesses interested in signing up for future offerings can contact Cobi Duncan, PHL’s ACDBE manager at [email protected].