Harry Barrett | Assistant Director of Airports
Sacramento County International Airport

Harry Barrett Jr. currently serves as the Assistant Director of Airports at Sacramento County Department of Aviation where he oversees a system of four airports and is responsible for delivering SMForward, a $1.3B capital program.  Harry has an incredibly diverse background and has held progressively responsible roles over his 15-year career in airport management. His career includes operational roles at Bellingham International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and also as the Airport Director at Renton Municipal Airport, where he worked with the Puget Sound Regional Council to address regional cargo and aviation growth through the year 2050. Prior to joining Sacramento County Department of Airports, Harry was the Executive Director at Palm Springs International Airport, where he led PSPs record breaking growth, expanding Palm Springs’ route network from 21 to 32 non-stop destinations. He is known for his innovative approach to airport management, an example of which includes a ground-breaking first in the nation revenue generating concourse naming rights agreement. Prior to his civil airports career, Harry served in the U.S. Air Force, where he was assigned to fly the E-3 AWACS and AC-130 Gunship aircraft, and facilitated the standup of three drone squadrons. Harry is a respected figure in the aviation community, known for his collaborative approach and commitment to excellence. He has been actively engaged with the Transportation Research Board – Airports Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) through the National Academy of Sciences. Harry holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle, a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Park University, and a Global MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.  He is also an accredited member of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and previously held a position on AAAE’s Board of Directors.