WACC Private Dinner

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte for an exclusive private dinner on Wednesday, October 14 with Ralph Lopez Massas, Senior Vice President of CLT Hub Operations, and Michael Wanner, Vice President of CLT Hub Operations.

Over dinner, and global reach and what’s ahead for the operation that connects Charlotte to the world and the world to Charlotte.

 

 

  • WACC Private Dinner Sponsorship and Underwriting – DOWNLOAD LINK 

Program Information: 

Date: Wednesday, October 14th, 2026
Check-In & Networking: 6:00 – 6:30 PM
Dinner & Discussion: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Location: TBA
Cost: $140 (WACC Member Rate) | $160 (Non-Member Rate) — limited to 24 people
*Includes pre-dinner wine, salad, entrée, dessert, wine during dinner, and coffee service

 

 

 

Biography: 

Ralph Lopez Massas | Senior Vice President of CLT Operations
Ralph is Senior Vice President of Hub Operations at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), American’s second-largest hub and the world’s third-largest single airline hub. With more than 650 peak daily departures and nearly 16,500 team members, CLT is key to American’s network.

In the span of his 31-year career he has spearheaded some of American’s largest and most critical business units and teams. Previously, he served as Vice President of the Robert W. Baker Integrated Operations Center (IOC), which serves as the nerve center of American’s network. There he led more than 1,500 team members responsible for operational oversight of American’s global network. He also led American’s largest international gateway and cargo hub as Vice President of Hub Operations at Miami International Airport (MIA).

Ralph has worked across American’s global network, leading our major international hub and epicenter of our transatlantic joint business at London-Heathrow (LHR), Boston (BOS), New York City (LGA) and Newark (EWR), San Jose, California (SJC). He also spent nearly 10 years in the Caribbean and Latin America leading Commercial, Planning and Operations in Chile, Jamaica, Venezuela, and Peru.

Ralph joined the airline in 1995 as a member of the Sales and Reservations team in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), where he also led many of our business units in Customer Experience and Operations in our former Caribbean Hub.

A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ralph grew up in Puerto Rico, Seville, Spain, and Trinidad & Tobago. He graduated from Hillview College in Trinidad & Tobago, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Global Master of Business Administration from Madrid’s IE Business School. Ralph also serves on the Governing Board of Directors for the Foundation For The Carolinas.

Michael Wanner | Vice President of CLT Operations
Michael Wanner serves as Vice President of CLT Operations at American, helping to lead the airline’s second-largest hub and overseeing the planning and execution of the day-to-day airport operations, operational performance, customer experience, safety, and cross-functional relationships across one of the most complex hubs throughout the system.

With more than 30 years of leadership experience spanning aviation, transportation, labor relations, and operational strategy, Michael has established a reputation for driving operational excellence, building high-performing teams, and leading organizations through complex challenges that lead to transformational change.
Most recently, Michael served as Managing Director of the CLT Hub Control Center where he led strategic initiatives to improve the hub’s on-time performance, enhance baggage handling reliability and manage growth through an evolving and efficient operational approach. Prior to joining the CLT leadership team, he served as Director of the Integrated Operations Center at American’s headquarters in Fort Worth, TX where he managed operational control supporting 6,700 daily flights throughout the network.

Michael’s passion for aviation first took off during his service as an Air Traffic Controller in the United States Navy. He went on to become a FAA-certified Air Traffic Controller before gaining leadership experience with commercial airlines. Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management at Southern Illinois University and serves as a board member for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Air Institute, supporting the development of future aviation