The Gary / Chicago International Airport Authority has named Tom Collins Jr. as authority chairman.
The position was first appointed by Indiana Governor Mike Braun. It was then announced Oct. 8 during a meeting of the airport’s board of directors, known as the GCIA Authority. Collins has been a member of the airport’s board of directors since early 2022 as the Porter County appointee. This summer, he was elected secretary.
Collins is a Porter County resident. He is president and CEO of Luke Family of Brands. The company employs 1,200 Hoosiers across 15 different industries.
The seven-member Authority serves as the decision-making body for GCIA and oversees airport policies, operations and budget. The Authority members are appointed to 4-year terms by an intra-governmental agreement. The Authority is comprised of the chairman appointed by the governor of Indiana, four commissioners appointed by the mayor of the City of Gary and a single commissioner each appointed by Lake and Porter counties, respectively.
Collins takes the reins of the airport during a time of growth and investments from the public and private sectors. The airport has seen expansion over the past decade. The airport’s main runway was expanded and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Facility opened. The airport began cargo service operations via UPS and announced the acquisition of the Griffith-Merrillville Airport. In 2024, the airport broke ground on a new $12 million, 47,000 square foot aviation hangar and a $67 million cargo services infrastructure investment. Growth and modernization has continued throughout 2025.
