Celebrating Our PASSION Cup Winners “Top Gun” Style
Highlights, Leadership, People
The PASSION Cup, a prestigious award at SSP America, is a testament to the exceptional leadership of airport directors. It is bestowed upon those who have led their teams to achieve outstanding results across a range of metrics, including safety and service. In 2023, this esteemed honor was bestowed upon Michael Diraddo of John F. Kennedy International Airport, Terminal 4 (JFK T4), Cecil Delaney of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), and Susan O’Neill of Colorado Springs Airport (COS).
The Cup was awarded in November of 2023 during the SSP America PASSION Summit in Miami. Chief Operating Officer Amanda Busby commented, “This team truly embodies the values of great leadership, PASSION, commitment, and excellence in their work. I am so excited to celebrate them and all they have accomplished.”
The celebration of the PASSION Cup winners was a testament to the power of teamwork. The Cup embarked on a tour, starting at JFK T4, where Michael Diraddo, this year’s recipient of the cup for directors overseeing large airports, introduced the Cup to the entire T4 team. Michael was quick to point out, “This isn’t just my win. This is the win of the entire team. We worked hard as a group and stayed committed to our goals. It’s easy to run restaurants one day, but to run them 365 days a year takes consistency and a commitment to high standards.” This sentiment was echoed at each stop of the Cup’s journey, reinforcing the collective effort behind the winners’ success.
The Cup’s second stop was IAH, where Cecil Delaney, recipient of the award for directors who oversee medium airport operations, toured each unit with the Cup, thanking team members along the way. Cecil said, “Team IAH is who truly deserves all the credit as they worked through many challenges last year to capture this big win. The award may have my name on it with IAH, but without such a great group of leaders and team members that we have in Houston, we wouldn’t be able to deliver such great results. The team is PASSIONate about what they do and are a little competitive as well. One thing that many of the great leaders have said to me in our meetings is ‘’let’s not let this be the only time we get this award and why don’t we just run it back as they would say’.”
The Cup made its final tour stop at COS. According to Susan O’Neil, the recipient of the cup for directors who oversee small airports, “I am so proud of the entire COS team who have supported me and been open to my ideas. The team pulls together day in and day out, making sure we are doing the best for our guests and challenging me to do my best each and every day.”
Once the tour wrapped up, the celebration still wasn’t done. The three winners headed to Las Vegas for some VIP treatment. In addition to various luxury meals and a little shopping, they participated in Cirque du Soleil’s ‘O’ La Grande Expérience, which includes a pre-show VIP reception, a guided tour of the facility, and a meet-and-greet with the performers. Once the show began, they enjoyed it from their private suite.
The trip’s main event was the ‘Top Gun Experience’ at Sky Ace Combat. During the experience, participants fly or ride along in fighter jets like those in “Top Gun.” Susan said it best, “It was amazing; I didn’t think I would have the courage to do it, but I am very proud of myself. We took off with parachutes strapped to our backs, hit 4Gs, I shot Cecil down in one dog fight, and he shot me down in the next two. My plane spiraled down in a death roll. We then flew through the Red Rocks in ‘Maverick’ fashion until landing safely back on the ground.”
Thank you, Susan, Cecil, and Michael, for all of your work guiding your teams and creating quality airport restaurant jobs.