Former MKC Boss Takes Helm 06 November 2023

Following a nationwide search, Melissa Cooper has been named Director of Aviation for the City of Kansas City. Cooper, the veteran of 25-years in the aviation industry’s trenches, is the first woman to fill the aforementioned role.

In December 2021, she was promoted to Deputy Director of Aviation over Properties & Commercial Development, a position in which she helped launch Kansas City International Airport’s (MCI) new $1.5-billion terminal.

Cooper took her first job at MCI in the 1990s, serving as a customer service agent for a private air-carrier. By dint of hard work and tenacity, she earned promotions to supervisory positions, ultimately landing a job as the manager of Kansas City’s Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC); she was the first woman to occupy the station.

Kansas City, Missouri mayor Quinton Lucas stated: “The opening of our brand-new Kansas City International Airport terminal was a transformational project for our community which took the strong leadership of many, with Melissa Cooper playing an integral role. As Kansas City month-over-month breaks passenger traveler records and secures more flights to more places both domestically and internationally, I am proud to welcome Melissa—who makes history as Kansas City’s first ever female Aviation Director—to lead the Department into the future as it continues to serve the flying public across our region.

Mr. Lucas added: “Ms. Cooper’s 17-years of work at the Aviation Department, most recently as Deputy Director of Aviation and Airport Manager of the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, will help her hit the ground running, working to continue growing Kansas City International’s success.”

In a statement of her own, Cooper set forth: “Thirty-years ago, I experienced my first pilot introductory flight at the Downtown Airport, sparking my love of aviation.  I have been very fortunate to foster this passion with a variety of jobs, training, and experiences within the aviation field, preparing me for the roles and responsibilities of the Director of Aviation.  I am truly honored, as a lifetime Kansas City resident, to serve our community and to lead the men and women of the Aviation Department, in pursuit of a first-class airport experience for our business and leisure travelers arriving to and departing from Kansas City.”

Cooper is currently serving as the Bombardier Safety Standdown Advisory Council Chair. Formerly, she served as the co-chair of the MARC Aviation Subcommittee and President of the Great Lakes Region of American Association of Airport Executives. In June of 2024, Cooper will begin serving on the National American Association of Airport Executives Board of Directors. She is also recognized as an Accredited Airport Executive through the American Association of Airport Executives. She holds a Master of Science degree in aviation safety and a Bachelor of Science degree in aviation technology both from University of Central Missouri.

Kansas City manager Brian Platt remarked: “Director Cooper has already demonstrated and proven her ability to lead and manage our team within the aviation department, and has been instrumental in the successful launch of our world class new airport terminal.”

A Kansas City native, Cooper will begin serving as the metropolis’s Director of Aviation on 06 November 2023.

FMI: www.flykc.com