John D. Kasarda is the leading developer of the “aerotropolis” concept, which defines the roles of aviation and airports in shaping 21st-century business location, economic development and urban growth. Kasarda is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Strategy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business school and director of its Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. He also directs the institute’s Center for Air Commerce. Kasarda has published more than 100 articles and nine books on aviation infrastructure, logistics and urban development and is quoted frequently in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BusinessWeek and international media. He leads executive programs on airport city and aerotropolis development, logistics infrastructure, firm siting and global supply-chain management for governments and multinational firms. He chairs the annual Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition and advises airports around the globe. Under his leadership, the Kenan Institute was named the world’s top air logistics educational institution by The International Air Cargo Association for its work on airports and industrial development. Kasarda received his B.S. and M.B.A. (with distinction) from Cornell University and his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the recipient of many grants and awards from such organizations as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, World Bank, National Science Foundation, National Academy of Sciences, United Nations Development Program and U.S. Agency for International Development. He was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his research on airport-driven economic development and is a senior fellow and trustee of the Urban Land Institute.