Edmonton Airports President & CEO Honoured for Lifetime of Leadership

Edmonton — Mr. Scott Clements, President & CEO of Edmonton Airports, is being presented with an honourary Doctor of Laws degree by Royal Roads University of British Columbia in recognition of his dedication to the education and training of leaders over the span of his military and business careers. A lifetime of challenging positions has revealed Mr. Clements’ leadership talents, and his commitment to education has impacted generations of future leaders.

“[Mr. Clements] is an educator, a peacemaker, a businessman, a servant of the community, a leader in each one of these careers,” says Richard Skinner, President of Royal Roads University. “Scott Clements symbolizes the qualities our University seeks to instill in all its students.”

Nine years ago, on July 1, 1995, when Mr. Clements undertook the position of President & CEO with Edmonton Airports, the future of Edmonton’s airports was uncertain. Passenger numbers were stagnant and Edmonton International Airport had not experienced growth in 12 years. Within the next nine years, Mr. Clements’ leadership transformed Edmonton International into a world-class facility, capable of supporting the increased number of passengers travelling through the airport and the air services enjoyed today.

Mr. Clements was a key leader in the consolidation of Edmonton’s scheduled passenger service at the International Airport, and was instrumental in negotiating a lease with the City of Edmonton to manage and promote Edmonton City Centre Airport as a general aviation centre. With the addition of Cooking Lake, the region’s unique float plane airport, as well as Villeneuve, a centre for flight training, Edmonton Airports now manages a regional system of four airports.
Mr. Clements contributes his leadership skills to numerous Boards and represents his community through his involvement with various committees. He has been honoured with the Northern Alberta Transportation Club “Millennium Transportation Person of the Year” award and was selected as one of Alberta Venture Magazine’s “Top 50 Most Influential People” for 2000 and 2001. He was also recently selected to receive the distinguished Commemorative Medal in Honour of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.

Born and raised in Ontario, Mr. Clements earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) from the Royal Military College of Canada. In 1981, he received a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Auburn at Montgomery, Alabama. During his 35 years as a distinguished officer and aviator in the Canadian Forces, Mr. Clements’ strong leadership skills helped him rise through the ranks to Lt. General. In 1991, Mr. Clements became Commander of Canada’s Air Force where he contributed significantly to the military educational system.

Edmonton Airports is a not-for-profit organization mandated to manage the region’s airport assets on behalf of and in the best interest of our community.