Airport concessions firm Concessions International (CI), which was founded in 1979, will have a new CEO in October.
The late H.J. Russell founded the company with two business partners – Felker W. Ward Jr. and Jesse Hill Jr. It started as a DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise) with 25 employees and one snack bar at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). In 1999, Russell bought out his two partners and CI became completely family-owned.
One of Russell’s children, Donata Russell Ross, who has been with the company for 42 years and has led it as the Chief Executive Officer since 2013, will retire as its CEO on October 6.
A search committee for a new CEO which included Russell Ross and her two brothers, H. Jerome Russell and Michael B. Russell, chose Nikki Tinsley Harland as Russell Ross’ successor.
Harland brings 12 years of leadership experience in the travel retail industry, and before her latest appointment, she was the Chief Operating Officer at Paradies Lagardère.
She is known for her ability to drive growth, foster innovation, and lead with integrity, a release by CI said.
Harland was made the 2024 Airport Experience News (AXN) Woman of the Year, while Russell Ross is the 2025 AXN Woman of the Year.
“I am excited to join Concessions International as CEO and build upon the incredible foundation and legacy established by those who came before me, and particularly by Donata, who has served as an industry role model for so many of us,” said Harland. “I look forward to working with the talented team at CI to deliver excellence and innovation in our industry. I know for sure that we will continue to take CI to the next level, ensuring that it delivers strong results and is one of the best places to work.”
For now, Russell Ross will continue as the board chair of H.J. Russell & Co., and she will help Harland during the transition process, which is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
“We couldn’t have found a more perfect candidate to be my successor,” said Russell Ross. “With her Atlanta roots, knowledge of the industry, leadership skills, innovative spirit, and proven track record, she is the ideal person to lead CI into the future and take CI to the next level.”
CI is a dynamic food and beverage operator serving more than 30 national, regional, and proprietary brands, including quick-service, casual dining, bars, delis, snacks, and café concessions at nearly 40 locations in eight airports, it said in the release.
As CEO, Russell Ross helped the company expand its airport operations in the United States and the Virgin Islands while building it into a business with an annual revenue of $120 million and 1,100 employees, according to Black Enterprise. It also added national brands and increased women and minority business participation. Russell Ross again successfully led the company through COVID-19 in airport environments across the country and in the Virgin Islands.
“It has been the privilege of my career to lead CI, and I have every confidence in Nikki and in the bright future ahead for the company,” Russell Ross said.
