Ivy Tech Community College awards Honorary Degrees in College and Community Service to select individuals each year. The following individual has shown exemplary service to the College and/or the community and is being recognized with an honorary degrees during today’s ceremony. Honorary Degree Recipient Mario Rodriguez
Mario Rodriguez, the Chief Executive Officer of the India- napolis Airport Authority, is an award-winning, nationally recognized leader. Mario served on the Biden/Harris Presi- dential transition team. He was appointed by President Joe Biden, former Presidents Barrack Obama, and Donald J. Trump to serve on the U.S. DOT’s Aviation Consumer Pro- tection Advisory Committee. In 2021 Mario was awarded the highest honor given to an active airport Chief Executive Officer, Airports Council International’s Excellence in Visionary Leadership Award. He also received Indiana’s highest honor, The Sagamore of the Wabash, conferred by Governor Eric Holcomb in 2018. Additionally, he has been honored with a United States Congressional Recognition, granted by Congressman André Carson in 2019.
In 2023, Mario received the Dynamic Leader of the Year by the Indiana Chamber. During his tenure in California, he served as the president of the California Airports Council. He received a California Senate Resolution, conferred by Senator Ricardo Lara; a United States House of Representatives Recognition, conferred by Congressman Alan Lowenthal; a County of Los Angeles Commendation, conferred by Chairman Don Knabe; and a City of Long Beach Recognition, conferred by Mayor Dr. Robert Garcia. He also received recognition, including a New Orleans City Council Proclamation, for his lead- ership in developing the flood protection system around the New Orleans International Airport before Hurricane Katrina and his leadership during the City’s evacuation and recovery. Under his leadership, the Authority had record-breaking growth, successfully navigated the pan- demic, announced significant economic development projects, and was recognized as the Best Airport in North America by J.D. Power, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, TripAdvisor, and Airports Council International. He is an active community leader and board member of numerous philanthropic and business organizations such as the Indianapolis and Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Ivy Tech Indianapolis Board Chair of Trustees, 2024 NBA All-Star Game, Visit Indy, The Indiana Sports Corporation, the Economic Club, the Indy 500 Festival Committee, and the Indiana Destination Development Corp. Foundation. He is the former president of the Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) Board and a founder of the Hispanic Leadership Circle, whose mission is to advance Indiana’s Latino commu- nities. Under his leadership, the Institute expanded from serving one hundred Latino students to over twenty-eight hundred in 2019 and increased the organization’s net assets by over forty percent. Rodriguez is an engineering graduate of the University of Miami (1987), attended the Harvard Kennedy School, and is an accomplished author and speaker on issues impacting the transporta- tion industry. For over 30 years, he has held leadership positions from Hong Kong to Indianapolis.
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