Rafael (Ralph) Cutié has been appointed as the new director and CEO of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, the operator of Miami International Airport (MIA).
Cutié has spent more than 33 years with Miami-Dade, serving in Miami-Dade Transit, the Office of Capital Improvements, and the Internal Services Department. Following this, he served as an assistant director for MIA’s facilities management and engineering department. Here, he supervised more than 440 employees and a budget of nearly US$123m. This division provides maintenance services as well as utilities, public works and cargo area support to MIA and the county’s four general aviation airports by way of engineering and construction, and emergency response. With this experience under his belt, Cutié rose to the position of interim director of the aviation department in June 2021.
Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava said, “Ralph has demonstrated his great expertise and professionalism and his clear qualifications to serve in this important role as director and CEO. He has the confidence and support of key stakeholders. I look forward to continuing to work closely alongside him.”
Commenting on his appointment, Cutié said, “Altogether, MIA and its four general aviation airports generate approximately US$32bn in revenue and support more than 275,000 direct and indirect jobs. I’ve been so proud to lead the men and women of the aviation department as interim director and look forward to building on my career driving forward major capital projects and managing teams to take the airport to new heights under the mayor’s leadership.”