Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) Chief Strategy Officer Cassie Schmid has been named a recipient of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2026 Corporate Leadership Award, recognizing the region’s most accomplished C-suite executives.
Since joining PHL in 2024, Schmid has helped redefine the airport’s future through bold strategic leadership and an unwavering focus on the passenger experience. She led preparations for one of the busiest years in Philadelphia’s history, helping ensure millions of travelers had the best experience possible as PHL welcomed the world for the FIFA World Cup, America’s 250th celebration, MLB All-Star Week, and other landmark events.
Behind the scenes, Schmid transformed how the Department of Aviation operates. She built an in-house agency model that combined marketing, communications, creative, public relations, guest experience, and strategy into one high-performing team, while leading the development of PHL’s first enterprise-wide strategic plan — aligning the organization around shared priorities, measurable outcomes, and an ambitious vision for the future.
Her leadership has also strengthened the airport from the inside out. After leading a comprehensive communications audit across the organization, Schmid implemented improvements that enhanced collaboration, transparency, and teamwork. She also launched PHL WORKS, an airport-wide service vision that brought employees, airlines, concessions, security, and operational partners together around one goal: delivering an exceptional passenger experience. The initiative earned both a Gold Stevie American Business Award and an Airports Council International–North America “Customer Service Through People” Award.
As Philadelphia prepared to welcome the world in 2026, Schmid spearheaded PHL’s first comprehensive brand refresh in years, introducing a brighter, cleaner, more welcoming identity that reflects the airport’s role as a world-class global gateway of choice. The effort earned a Silver Titan Award for Best Rebranding Effort – Visual Identity Refresh.
Schmid’s leadership has also driven measurable business results. She oversaw the award-winning Aeromexico and Park PHL marketing campaigns — the latter helping generate a record $75 million in parking revenue in 2025 — and established PHL’s first customer database, creating one-to-one relationships with more than 13,000 travelers and guests.
Outside of the airport, Schmid is a dedicated hockey mom of two teenage boys and the only woman skating in her co-ed ice hockey league at Penn's Rink.
The Philadelphia Business Journal Corporate Leadership Awards celebrate executives whose leadership, innovation, and vision are making a lasting impact across the Greater Philadelphia region.
Learn more about Cassie Schmid, including her go-to negotiation tactic, the business icon she most admires, and the best career advice she ever received, here.
