Holiday travelers flying out of John F. Kennedy International Airport may not realize their trip begins closer to Long Island than they think: The person overseeing the daily operations of Terminal 4, one of JFK’s busiest gateways, is a Manhasset resident.
“I’ve always liked aviation because aviation has something magical,” said Roel Huinink, chief executive officer of JFK International Air Terminal. “It’s about flying. It’s about traveling. I really like to enjoy and travel and work in different cultures.”
Though he oversees major decisions for the terminal, Huinink said his daily work often centers on walking the terminal and speaking with staff. “Sometimes I call myself the mayor of Terminal 4,” he said.
Huinink and his family moved to Manhasset in 2018 after he was hired to lead the private company that develops and manages Terminal 4. He is originally from the Netherlands, which he said has ties to Nassau County and New York as a whole.
“Nassau is the name of the Royal Dutch family,” he said. “There’s quite a lot of Dutch history here in New York.”
Huinink holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. After working in the offshore oil industry for a short period, he transitioned to airport work — first in Amsterdam, then in Stockholm, Sweden. He later relocated to Oslo, Norway, where he operated a fashion company with stores in airports.
He was later approached about the CEO job but was hesitant because his sons, then 11 and 13, had moved around “quite a bit” by that time. But after interviewing and visiting New York, he accepted the position, secured a visa and moved to Manhasset in the summer of 2018. He has now served as CEO for seven years.
Huinink said his company operates Terminal 4 under a long-term lease with the Port Authority, which owns JFK. Under that lease, his company has the right to build, develop and manage the terminal, which he said employs 10,000 to 12,000 people.
When T4 first opened in 2001, it had 4 million passengers, Huinink said. This year Terminal 4 is expected to handle around 28 million passengers.
“That means you constantly invest in expanding the business, investing in the quality of the building, and investing in technology,” he said.
Delta Air Lines is its largest customer, he said, along with about 20 other international airlines, including Emirates, Air India, Copa Airlines and LATAM.
One of Huinink’s current projects includes rebuilding more than 70 restaurant and retail spaces. Many of the new concepts come from local entrepreneurs, he said, including For Five Coffee Roasters, founded in Queens by owners who now live in Manhasset. Huinink said that nearly 40% of the $1.5 billion investment program — more than $400 million — went to local, small, and minority- and women-owned businesses.
Huinink said giving back to the community is important to him both in and outside of work. At work, this means prioritizing both environmental and social responsibility.
“Sustainability is an important value of mine,” he said.
He said Terminal 4 is working on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, conserving water, managing waste and enhancing biodiversity.
The company also runs a corporate social responsibility program called 4 Good. This year, he said, the company donated $20,000 to American Friends of Jamaica to support residents affected by Hurricane Melissa.
Outside of work, Huinink is involved with The Netherland-America Foundation, an organization that works to strengthen the bonds between the Netherlands and America through exchange in the arts, sciences, education, business and public affairs, according to NAF’s website.
Huinink said he chairs its internship committee, which supports American and Dutch students in studying or interning abroad.
“It’s really life-changing for students,” he said.
Adjusting to his new life in Manhasset took time after his move, he said.
“You need to start over in a new country and make connections,” he said.
After seven years, he said his family has built a network of friends and adapted to life on Long Island, and he enjoys living close to New York City while still coming home to what he described as an oasis.
“You come out here and you’re kind of in an oasis,” he said of Manhasset. “It’s very close to New York, but it’s nice and green, and people are friendly.”
