Outstanding Leadership in Queens
2009 Honoree of the Queens Federation of Churches

William L. Huisman

William L. Huisman is the Executive Director of the Aviation Development Council. Bill has over 35 years of aviation experience, which includes a 26-year career with Delta Air Lines and Delta Shuttle, here in the New York City area. During his Delta career, he served in staff and management positions within airport operations, airline reservations, consumer marketing, corporate sales, public relations, corporate communications, and government and community affairs. Bill was also a member of Delta’s aircraft incident response team and participated in Delta’s humanitarian response to aircraft incidents in 1986 and 1987. He also worked closely with Mayor Giuliani’s office and Swissair during the recovery and relief efforts directly following the Swissair 111 tragedy in 1998.

Currently, as head of the Aviation Development Council, Bill directs several important business development and community outreach programs on behalf of the region’s aviation industry and the Port Authority of NY & NJ. These include the Queens & New Jersey Air Services Development Offices (which promote the purchase of products & services from local community businesses), the Airport Community Watch Program (which focuses on increased security and safety at our airports & their surrounding communities), and various other operations & community outreach programs. ADC also manages a community-based small grant program called Airports Do Care, which targets grass-roots not-for-profit organizations that focus efforts on youth education, youth leadership development, and cultural enrichment for young people. These important programs help build a constructive and collaborative relationship between the region’s aviation industry and the communities it serves.

Bill currently serves on the board of the Queens Council of the Boy Scouts of America; the Chernobyl Children’s Project–USA, Christ for the World Chapel–JFK, the LGA Kiwanis Club and the North American Airlines Public Relations Association.

Bill, a long-time resident of Queens, now makes his home in White Plains with his wife, Elizabeth, and his son, Christian, 22. His daughter, Courtney, 29, is a teacher in Elmsford, NY, and now resides in Brewster, NY with her husband, Mario Velardo, and their son, Andrew Michael, aged 2. Bill and Elizabeth currently worship at Westchester Community Chapel, in White Plains, and serve on the worship team.