Longtime Airport Authority Board Chairman Retires

When David Minnotte was appointed to serve on the Allegheny County Airport Authority board in 2004, he only expected to serve a couple of years.

“I was really trying to support my community. But somehow some magical thing happened where this whole job evolved into a very meaningful experience both professionally and personally,” said Minnotte, who served 22 years on the board, including 16 years as its longest-serving chairman.

“Professionally, we accomplished such great things here, things I didn’t even know about at the airport until I learned them here. And, personally, because I made such good friends here.”

Last Friday was the last meeting for Minnotte, 83, who will retire from the board. Members Randy Vulakovich and Cindy Shapira are also departing. Minnotte was appointed to the board shortly after the authority was formed as a separate government entity from the former county department of aviation.

Minnotte oversaw turbulent times at Pittsburgh International Airport and eventual industry-leading success. He came on board as US Airways was dropping its Pittsburgh hub. The airport lost more than half of its passengers and nonstop destinations sank to 36.

He led the board, which also included Shapira, that hired CEO Christina Cassotis in 2015 — along with former County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Since that time, passenger traffic has surged more than 20 percent, the number of airlines serving PIT has more than doubled to 15 and nonstop destinations have increased to 64. The airport also became the first in the world to be completely powered on its own by a microgrid using natural gas and solar energy.

He also led the board through the approval and construction of Pittsburgh International Airport’s new $1.7 billion terminal which opened in November — built for the people of Pittsburgh, not a single airline, Minnotte has noted.

Minnotte graduated from Duke University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He then attended Harvard Business School where he earned a master of business administration degree. He later served as a lieutenant in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Following his military service, he assumed responsibility of the family business, Minnotte Corporation, after the death of his father.

From 1969 to the present, Minnotte has overseen the growth of the Minnotte group of industrial companies. These companies provide engineering, fabrication, machining, assembly and contracting services to the power generation industry.

“Dave brought an entrepreneurial mindset to the board. He was a real thought partner,” Cassotis said. “He has been here through dark days from post-hub times and Covid to the big air service wins and the opening of the new terminal. He’s led the transition to a new business model for the authority. Now he’s leaving the authority — and industry — in a much better place.”

The Airport Authority will celebrate its 27th anniversary this year. The nine-member board is appointed by the County Executive and approved by County Council. Minnotte was initially appointed by the first Allegheny County Executive, Jim Roddey.

“Dave set the standard for the culture of this board, and his leadership, along with the leadership of all board members including Randy and Cindy, really enabled this success. This is not something that’s typical everywhere. This is what happens when you have good governance and a good model of government,” Cassotis said.

The departing board members were honored at the June board meeting and several speakers, including former board members and elected officials, staff, airline officials and others, thanked them for their service.

“This was a good board to work on because of the culture that (Minnotte) and Christina and your people developed here. It’s a very well-oiled machine, so to speak,” Vulakovich said. “I’ve been on a lot of boards, and I’ve never been on one quite like this one. I’m very proud of my time here.”

Fellow departing board member Cindy Shapira also thanked her fellow board members, noting the airport progress over the past decade.

“I had such an incredible, amazing experience on the Allegheny County Airport Authority board. We’ve accomplished so much and have come so far from when I started back in 2012. And really that is due to the amazing leadership of Dave. He’s been an unbelievable chairman and has guided us to where we are today,” Shapira said.

“And I have to say Randy, you’ve been an incredible board member and an incredible colleague as well. You are a kind and thoughtful and very brilliant policy-oriented person who gives amazing service to the community.”

County Council is scheduled to vote in July on the approval of three new members nominated by County Executive Sara Innamorato: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust President and CEO Kendra Whitlock Ingram, State Sen. Devlin Robinson, and Exus Renewables President and CEO Jim Spencer.