Columbus Metropolitan Club: The Airport Advantage: Building Central Ohio’s Next Economy

Columbus Metropolitan Club: The Airport Advantage: Building Central Ohio’s Next Economy July 15, 2026 Columbus’ major airports are much more than places to catch a flight. John Glenn International, Rickenbacker International, and Bolton Field are the region’s front doors — a first impression for visitors, a critical link for global businesses, and a major piece of the critical infrastructure needed to support Central Ohio’s next chapter of growth. As Daren Griffin takes the helm as the new President & CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, he arrives at a truly defining moment. John Glenn International is building a new $2 billion terminal, Rickenbacker International continues to play a major and ever-growing role in cargo and economic development, and Columbus travelers are asking the question every growing region faces: where can we fly from here? Meet Daren Griffin as we explore what’s ahead for aviation in our region and how Central Ohio’s growth will depend on bold airport innovations and investment. How will John Glenn’s gleaming new terminal change the passenger experience? What will it take to attract more nonstop flights and stronger global connections? How are new technology, airline economics, cargo logistics, workforce needs, and customer expectations reshaping the future and the experience of air travel? And as Columbus grows, what kind of airport system will our region need to compete? Featuring Daren Griffin, President & CEO, The Columbus Regional Airport Authority; Deborah Scherer, Senior Vice President, Global Trade & Investment, One Columbus; with moderator Jerod Smalley, Anchor, WCMH NBC4, and Host, Columbus 2.0. If you would like to dive more deeply into this topic, our friends at the Columbus Metropolitan Library suggest checking out Building of an Airport: Port Columbus, by Robert F. Kirk, 2019.