Ralph Cutié

DIRECTOR & CEO, MIAMI-DADE AVIATION DEPARTMENT, MIAMI

One of the nation’s busiest international passenger and cargo airports, Miami International Airport handles more than 52 million passengers and nearly 3 million tons of cargo annually. Cutié oversees operations at MIA and four general-aviation airports in the Miami area, which together generate $31.9 billion in business revenue and support more than 275,000 direct and indirect jobs. The airport is undergoing a $6-billion modernization effort over 15 years to prepare for future growth. Cutié began his career in 1990 with the Miami-Dade Transit Department and was named the aviation department’s director in 2021. MDAD employs 1,333.

EDUCATION: Florida International University (BS) 

IF I WERE GOVERNOR: The first thing on my list would be to somehow require all students in Florida to take more coursework in civics and history so they would have a better understanding of how their government works and on how both good and bad decisions throughout our history have shaped our current lives and our future.

INSPIRING FLORIDIAN: Captain John Young, USN (deceased), commander of Apollo 16 and Space Shuttle pilot. He is one of 12 human beings, all Americans, to walk on the moon. The John Young Parkway near Orlando is named after him.

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA: From my days playing football in high school and college: 'Prepare well and play every day as if your job is on the line. When you get knocked down, dust yourself off and line back up for the next play.'