Retirement of Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton
After almost a decade of serving as the Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Rick Cotton has announced his plans to retire in January. At 81 years old, Cotton has been the longest-serving executive director since the 1940s.
During his time at the Port Authority, Cotton oversaw major infrastructure projects at all three of the New York City-area airports. This includes the rebuilding of LaGuardia Airport, the construction of a new terminal at Newark Liberty International Airport, and the start of redevelopment at John F. Kennedy International Airport. These projects have been aimed at improving the transportation infrastructure in the region.
Cotton will be working with his successor, who will be announced in the coming months, to ensure a smooth transition into the role. In a statement, Cotton expressed his satisfaction with the progress made during his tenure and the completion of a proposed 10-year capital plan that will fund the agency’s ambitious agenda through 2035. He believes it is time to pass on the reins and will do so in January.
Originally appointed by former Governor Andrew Cuomo and re-appointed by current Governor Kathy Hochul, Cotton has been praised for his leadership and the significant progress made during his time at the Port Authority. Governor Hochul stated that Cotton has delivered “extraordinary results” and has rebuilt public confidence in the agency’s ability to provide world-class infrastructure. She also believes that his impact will be felt for generations to come.
Under Cotton’s leadership, the Port Authority has undertaken a $50 billion effort to modernize the region’s three airports, with the completion of an $8 billion rebuild of LaGuardia Airport and the opening of Liberty’s new Terminal A. The agency has also started the $19 billion reconstruction of JFK’s Terminals 1 through 6. This has resulted in LaGuardia Airport being named the best airport in America by Forbes Magazine in March of this year.
Cotton has also been instrumental in the overhaul of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, a $10 billion project that broke ground in May. He has also focused on improving the agency’s efficiency, transparency, internal governance, and collaboration between the two states that co-run it.
Cotton has also led the agency through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which air travel plummeted, and airlines suffered major losses. Carlo Scissura, president, and CEO of the New York Building Congress, praised Cotton’s leadership, describing him as a titan of the industry, an infrastructure czar, and a mentor. Scissura also believes that Cotton’s legacy includes taking the airports from being among the worst in the country to being the best, securing the shores, and building a better-connected Port Authority region.
In conclusion, Rick Cotton’s retirement marks the end of an era at the Port Authority.