Leadership Savannah: Profiling Patrick Graham And Savannah Int'l Airport

It's an organization designed to develop effective community leaders who work to strengthen our region. 

And for 50 years, Leadership Savannah has done just that -- graduating better businessmen and leaders committed to helped build our community.

On of the eve of Leadership Savannah's Golden Anniversary Gala, we profile Patrick Graham, Executive Director of the Savannah Airport Commission and outgoing President of Leadership Savannah.

Graham talks about the past, present and future of the Savannah-Hilton Head Airport in his own words.

"I can remember my first time walking in and looking around the offices, 27 years ago. I thought wow, I stepped back 20 years."

"If you were coming from the Northeast, Northwest wherever you probably got the same impression about Savannah, a sleepy little town."

"I knew as soon as I walked in I could upgrade everything 20 years."

"Dave Davidson actually started the push. He filed the original master plan in 1968. Guess what That master plan included this terminal right here."

"I don't think anyone could call this a white elephant, this was the catalyst for the development of West Chatham County."

"I think this building makes a statement. That we are the gateway for the Savannah and Hilton Head communities."

"70% of our traffic is inbound traffic. We are heavily supported by the tourism industry. And that's why Airtran didn't make it and Southwest may not make it here. Because the high end tourists don't want to be treated like cattle."

"Next year we are doing an airport modernization program. We're going to try to bring things up a level. The building is 18 years old, so its time for the building and other parts of the area to take another step into the future."

"Things are changing, the time is coming when you will stop in the airport and you won't talk to anybody, you won't get help from anybody."

"Your boarding pass will be on something like this, your PDA."

"Thats why my connection with the bigger airports is important. Because I know where they are going and what they are doing. So I can be with them instead of being behind them."

Leadership Savannah's 50th anniversary gala is Thursday night at the Savannah Yacht Club.

Tickets are $75 a person, and if you are interested in attending, just contact Margaret Mary Russell at the Savannah Chamber of Commerce.

She can be reached at 912-644-6432 or MRussell@SavannahChamber.com