WTC-Tacoma honors local businesses; hears Delta’s plans for region

On the occasion of his 50th birthday, Delta Air Lines Regional Vice President Mike Medeiros addressed the 22nd annual World Trade Center Tacoma Globe Awards gala.

Award recipients Thursday night were:

▪ Emerging Business of the Year: Heritage Distilling Company

▪ Service Provider of the Year: Highline College, Center of Excellence for Global Trade & Supply Chain Management

▪ Excellence in Trade: TagMaster North America, Inc.

Medeiros spoke of growth and trade. Delta this week announced its intent to secure a nearly 50 percent stake in Aeromexico, much like it already has with Virgin Atlantic Airways.

The WTCT and Delta share a common goal, Medeiros said. “We both connect people to global markets,” he said.

It’s all about “contacts and contracts,” he said.

And history.

Medeiros noted that Delta began its international service from Sea-Tac Airport with a flight to Tokyo — long after Delta began its Northwest service with flights between Tacoma, Seattle, Wenatchee and Spokane.

He spoke of the future, describing an airline that had 1,700 locally based employees in early 2013 and today counts 3,000. And with 128 flights today at Sea-Tac, he predicts 157 by next summer.

At Sea-Tac, he said, “We saw a real need and an opportunity, he said. “(It was) the most underserved air market for many, many years.

“We are globally focused but locally committed,” he said.

That global focus touches the Aeromexico deal as well as its stake in Virgin Atlantic and a recently announced 3.55 percent stake in China Eastern.

And he welcomes the expansion of the international arrivals facility at Sea-Tac – due in 2019 – what with passenger volume up 15.2 percent year-to-date.

“You really do have a tiger by the tail,” he said.

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 8:31 AM with the headline "WTC-Tacoma honors local businesses; hears Delta’s plans for region."