Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, plans to step down in early 2027 after 15 years leading Dulles and Reagan National airports.

Potter announced his retirement to the authority's 1,950 employees, according to an MWAA statement published Oct. 15. He will remain on the job until a successor is chosen and the transition is complete.

For Reston commuters and workers along the Dulles Toll Road corridor, Potter's tenure brought Metro service to the area. The MWAA completed the Metrorail Silver Line extension under his watch. Phase 2 opened on Nov. 15, 2022, connecting Dulles Airport to the regional rail network. The Silver Line's first phase, which opened the Wiehle–Reston East station in 2014, also fell within his leadership.

Potter's departure comes as the authority manages more than $22 billion in planned construction to modernize Dulles into what it calls an "airport of the future." A separate $2.4 billion program targets terminal, roadway and facility upgrades at Reagan National. The MWAA board approved a $15.5 billion addition to its capital budget in August to fund the Dulles overhaul, as The Washington Post reported. That brought the airport's forward-looking construction budget to $19.9 billion over 15 years.

"We look forward to continued growth at Dulles Airport, and we think we have a very bright future," Potter said at the August board meeting where the budget was approved.

Dulles served more than 29 million passengers in 2025, a record, according to the authority. Potter created an Office of Revenue in 2014 to grow non-airline income, which the authority said helped reduce operating costs for carriers and earned Dulles recognition as the fastest-growing U.S. international gateway airport.

Before joining the authority in 2011, Potter spent a decade as U.S. postmaster general.

Board Chairman Mark Uncapher said Potter's leadership "positions us well for future success." The board has hired executive search firm Spencer Stuart to find the next CEO. No specific retirement date has been set, Patch reported.

The first major phase of the Dulles transformation, expanding the historic main terminal, is expected to begin construction in 2027.