For more than 47 years, Robert F. Holscher (Bob) has provided an inner vision that has helped make Kentucky a major center of international transportation and commerce. Under his leadership, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) has become a gateway to the world; connecting cities, states and countries to the many businesses, tourist attractions and recreational opportunities in Kentucky.

Bob has called Kentucky his home for 45 years. His pride and passion for the Commonwealth and CVG has been a common theme throughout his personal and professional life. Following his service with the Air Force, Bob began his career at CVG in 1961 as an Airport Fireman. He showed his true ability to build success out of teamwork and cooperation as a Fireman and was steadily moved up the ranks to Chief and ultimately, in 1977 to Director of Aviation, the Airport's top management position. For 33 years, Bob has continued to hold this same top position, now titled Executive Director/CEO.

Bob has seen many changes in the airline industry and Kentucky over his 47 years of service. The growth in Northern Kentucky and in particularly Boone County has run a parallel track with the growth of CVG and can be measured by the increase in population, per capita income and new businesses moving to the area. Just one year after Bob took over the top job at CVG, federal deregulation brought about new challenges for airports and communities; nowhere was this more dramatic than at CVG. From a small local passenger airport to a major airline hub, it was Bob’s keen sense of the future of flying that helped to build partnerships with surrounding Airport communities and the entire Commonwealth. This partnership provided a united effort to help Delta Air Lines select CVG as their major connecting hub. Capitalizing on CVG's centralized location, top rated facilities, efficient operations and teamwork, Bob made CVG an easy fit for Delta Air Lines. These benefits also provided for another major success story in Kentucky; the birth and development of Comair.

Bob's continued vision, strong leadership and management style are what created CVG as an efficient, supportive and cost-effective airport, encouraging Delta Air Lines and Comair to invest and expand. Even after the devastating events of September 11, 2001 when most major airlines were cutting back, CVG was one of the few to see its flight operations rebound within months.

As the instability of the industry continued, many airports were prompted to scale back expansion. At this particular time, CVG was at a critical stage in building a third parallel runway. Bob's tenacity and team support helped keep CVG on track. With the opening of the new runway in 2005, CVG became what is considered one of the most operationally efficient airports in the world.

The aviation industry is notoriously dynamic, and CVG has not escaped recent upheavals. Since 2005, the Airport has experienced hub restructuring, Delta's bankruptcy, near strikes at Comair, merger proposals and continual rumors of industry consolidation. Even with these challenges, Bob's management stability, passion and vision for the future have helped keep CVG viable, providing an economic benefit that exceeds $3 billion per year and supports 65,000 area jobs. These benefits reach far beyond Northern Kentucky. Numerous companies such as GE Capital, Fidelity Investments and Citibank, along with foreign investment from Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mazak, Wild Flavors and Saches Automotive of America now call Kentucky home, citing CVG's air service as one of their deciding factors to locate their world headquarters in Northern Kentucky.

Bob has earned the respect of aviation professionals worldwide. He is America's longest-sitting Executive Director/CEO of a major hub airport. He has served on the World Board of Airports Council International (ACI), including a year as chairman of ACI North America. In 2004, the Federal Aviation Administration Southern Region selected him as their 2003 Commercial Service Airport Manager of the Year. Additionally, Bob is the recipient of Kentucky's Airport Manager of the Year Award (2006), the Northern Kentucky Chamber's Frontiersman Award (2007) and Kentucky Aviation Museums Achievement Award (2007). He is truly dedicated to the success of the aviation industry, CVG, his community and his home, the Commonwealth of Kentucky.