On Monday, Dallas Love Field announced the retirement of its longtime deputy director Sheneice M. Hughes.
Hughes spent 26 years working at the City of Dallas and another 13 years with the Department of Aviation. She retires as deputy director of finance, people, and culture for aviation on March 31.
According to a Monday press release from Dallas Love Field, Hughes entered the executive leadership team in 2018 and “completely transformed” business operations and workplace culture at DAL.
During her time with the aviation department, Hughes established new divisions, strengthened workplace development, and enhanced external communications. DAL praised her for work on improved operations, employee engagement, and the customer experience.
As chief financial officer, she delivered over $123 million in savings through strategic refinancing. And she was a part of the team that completed DAL’s airport use and lease agreement last year, which maintains the signatory relationship with Southwest Airlines until 2042.
In a March 27 social media post, DAL said, “Your contributions have made a lasting impact, and as you embark on this new chapter, we wish you all the best in your future endeavors. You will be greatly missed.”
DAL recently created the “Sheneice M. Hughes Innovator of the Year Award” and made Hughes the inaugural recipient at a retirement celebration in her honor.
The Arkansas native holds a degree in psychology and public relations from HBCU Grambling State University and a master of applied psychology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
“I honestly believe that Grambling State University changed my life and taught me to be a strategic problem solver,” she said. “And, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, I learned to craft my skills in understanding people and how to encourage them to work together for organizational effectiveness.”