DuPage Airport names flight center after former chairman Goodwin
Business Wire
OAK BROOK - The DuPage Airport Authority renamed the airport's Flight Center in honor of former chairman Daniel L. Goodwin.
The naming of The Daniel L. Goodwin Flight Center was approved by the DAA board of commissioners via unanimous consent in January 2016, after an independent committee presented the concept to the DAA board.
"Dan Goodwin's leadership and transformation of the DAA is a prime example of how the public sector should operate, and serves as a positive model of how to run a government agency like a business," said Lee Daniels, chairman of the Daniel L. Goodwin Flight Center Committee.
The committee was formed to host the dedication ceremony without using taxpayer dollars. In addition to the current DAA board, the naming ceremony was attended by many elected officials, DuPage County citizens and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti.
"This is an example of how to do things right in government," said Dan Cronin, DuPage County Board chairman, at the flight center's dedication ceremony.
Goodwin, who is Chairman and CEO of The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies based in Oak Brook. does not allow any of his companies to do business with government entities in order to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Goodwin was appointed to the board of the airport authority in November 2002, and elected chairman in January 2003. Prior to his appointment, DAA suffered annual operating losses, consumed $18 million in property tax levies, and was $26 million in debt.
After Goodwin's appointment, and because of the business best-practices he implemented, DAA operating losses were turned into profits and all DAA debt was repaid. The government-owned airport not only became debt free for the first time, but it remains so to this day. Additionally, the property tax levy was reduced by 67 percent, and the DAA annually has been rebating $1 million back to the taxpayers of DuPage County.
"Dan Goodwin is not only a successful businessman, but he is also a model citizen of DuPage, who puts the community and taxpayers first," said Steve Davis, current Chairman of the DAA Board of Commissioners, who introduced Goodwin at the event. "The Board has chosen to honor him for his impact at the DAA and for his selfless philanthropic dedication to our region."