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Airlink Founder Steve Smith Tapped to Lead Airforwarders Association

The Airforwarders Association has appointed Steve Smith, founder and former chief executive of Airlink, as its new executive director. Smith will assume the role after Brandon Fried's December retirement. Smith departs Airlink in September 2025 after building the nonprofit from a single-person operation into an organization with nearly $20 million in annual revenue. During his tenure, Airlink partnered with more than 50 airlines and logistics companies to coordinate with 250 humanitarian groups across 100 countries, responding to over 200 disasters and crises while assisting 80 million people. Smith directed relief operations during COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Ebola outbreak, and the 2023 Türkiye earthquake. He previously spent four years at Rolls Royce as director of civil aerospace, negotiating major commercial deals. Fried, who led the AfA for 21 years, will assist during the transition. The AfA advocates on air cargo security, airport infrastructure, and trade facilitation issues.