Mayor Reed puts airport exec on leave amid concerns over contracts

A high-ranking official at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has been placed on administrative leave after the mayor’s office learned that his wife is doing business with an airport subcontractor.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Kasim Reed said Friday that the action was taken against Cortez Carter, deputy general manager at the airport, whose wife owns a company that does business in Washington with Hojeij Branded Foods.

Hojeij was recently picked to run a number of commercial spaces at Hartsfield-Jackson, concessions that are expected to mean revenues of tens of millions of dollars.

“The City is also in the process of reviewing all current and pending contracts with the vendor,” said the statement from the mayor’s spokeswoman. “We take this matter very seriously. If any violations of protocols, ordinances or policies are found to have taken place, we will address the situation immediately and without hesitation.”

For more information as the situation develops, check back later on myAJC.com.

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VIDEO: Previous coverage on airport concessions questions