Chair Rick King announces departure from Metropolitan Airports Commission

Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) Chair Rick King has announced his decision to retire from the commission that oversees the operation of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and six general aviation airports in the Twin Cities.

MAC Vice Chair Patti Gartland will assume interim leadership of the 15-member board on Nov. 21 and will serve in that expanded leadership role until Minnesota’s governor appoints a permanent successor.

“It’s truly been an honor to hold multiple roles amplifying the tremendous work of the MAC that allows Minnesotans to travel the globe and drive economic growth across the state,” said Rick King. “It’s been one of my most rewarding experiences, working with the absolute best staff who prioritize what’s best for our customers and business partners.”

King is departing from the MAC to spend more time with his family as he winds down decades of corporate and organizational board leadership. His MAC service began in 2007 as a representative on the Flying Cloud Airport Advisory Commission. Starting in 2011, he served two terms as a commissioner appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton. In 2019, Gov. Tim Walz appointed King to chair the MAC board.

“I am grateful to Rick King for his outstanding work as Chair of the Metropolitan Airports Commission,” Gov. Walz said. “The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport consistently ranks among the best in North America, and Rick has played an integral role in this success. I thank him for his dedication to public service; the impacts of his work will be felt for years to come.”

“Chair King has provided a determined energy, a strong voice, and a steady hand in his leadership of the MAC Board of Commissioners over the years, especially through the pandemic recovery — one of the most difficult times our industry has ever faced,” said MAC CEO Brian Ryks. “It’s been a privilege to work with him in championing broad public engagement with our many communities, residents and stakeholders to share the positive impact of our airports across the region.” 

Among the many achievements during King’s service on the board, MSP has been honored with back-to-back (and three out of four) best mega airport honors in the annual J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study and won best airport awards from the Airports Council International Airport Service Quality program for seven out of nine years. The MAC also approved a record capital improvement program budget in 2024, continuing its strategic investments to modernize facilities across the airport system. This fall, the MAC completed its 10-year, $600 million Operational Improvements Program, transforming the 1960s-era pre-security areas of Terminal 1 into a modern airport experience.

Together, MSP and the MAC’s six general aviation airports — also known as reliever airports for reducing congestion at the primary commercial airport — supported more than 714,000 aircraft operations in 2024. The reliever airports are all located within 35 miles of the downtowns of Minneapolis or St. Paul: Airlake (LVN) in Lakeville, Anoka County-Blaine (ANE), Crystal (MIC), Flying Cloud (FCM) in Eden Prairie, Lake Elmo (21D) and St. Paul Downtown (STP).

MSP is the 17th busiest airport by passengers in the United States, serving 37.2 million passengers in 2024. Sixteen commercial airlines provide nonstop service to 167 destinations. MSP is the second largest hub for Delta Air Lines and serves as the home base for Sun Country Airlines.