Outstanding Leadership in Queens
2012 Honoree of the Queens Federation of Churches

Verdia M. Noel

Verdia M. Noel has been an aviation professional for 27 years, working at both JFK International and LaGuardia Airports. She has been directly involved in passenger and customer service operations where she has proactively managed and coordinated high quality contractual obligations in aviation businesses, community and workforce development. Verdia has served 10 years as the Area Director for the Council for Airport Opportunity, Inc. (CAO) in Jamaica. The CAO’s mission is to identify and address the critical employment needs of the communities surrounding the New York and New Jersey Metropolitan airports, while at the same time responding to the hiring needs of the airport and the aviation industry.

Verdia initially joined the aviation industry with the CAO as a Ground Transportation Counter Agent in1984 at LaGuardia and was promoted to supervisor in 1986 to 1988. She then moved successfully through the ranks of companies at LGA/JFK, where she was instrumental in managing customer and passenger service, and security operations with tremendous results. She excelled in leadership positions with aviation service companies such as Hudson General Corporation, (now Servis-Air) as Supervisor, promoted to Manager, AMR Services (formerly a subsidiary of American Airlines), and Worldwide Flight Services, Inc., as Manager, promoted to General Manager of LGA Operations.

In 2001, Verdia returned to the Council for Airport Opportunity as Area Director. She is responsible for the management and supervision of the day-to-day operation of the JFK Career Center and directing the recruitment, pre-screening, and the referral process, as well as developing new business opportunities, and overall service delivery efforts for CAO. She participated in planning, and establishing the first on-airport career center presence at LaGuardia to address community residents’ accessibility to job opportunities. Throughout her career, Verdia has been passionate about aviation and has enthusiastically spearheaded hiring and/or training of new and existing employees throughout the industry.

A member of the Kiwanis Club of LaGuardia Airport, she served as a board member, Secretary, Vice President, President, and is now the Immediate Past President of the Club. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child one community at a time. The LaGuardia Club continues to have many proud moments, in recently developing two sponsored youth leadership programs for teens and young adults, while increasing club membership. Verdia is currently Lt. Governor-elect of the Queens West Division and is a 2011-2012 Distinguished Kiwanis Chairperson.

Verdia was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina, and credits her early childhood upbringing for instilling in her a sense of family, church, community and education. She attended and graduated from schools in the Hertford County, NC, school system and later pursued a degree in Business Management, having studied at Long Island University, CW Post Campus, St. Francis College and the Washington Business Institute. She is the mother of four grown children and four grandchildren. Favorite pastimes include relaxing with family and friends, traveling, reading and learning to play golf. She has been recognized with numerous awards.