It was a rare scene at the regular meeting of the Salina Airport Authority board of directors as executive director Tim Rogers, A.A.E. was taken by surprise with an addition to the agenda. The item of note, a resolution expressing gratitude and appreciation for services rendered to the City of Salina and Salina County for his 30 years of outstanding service at the Salina Airport Authority.
Rogers was hired on as the airport’s executive director January 1, 1985. The successor to another Salina “mover and shaker” John “Mike” Scanlan, Rogers inherited the former Schilling Air Force Base, and continued its growth into the thriving airport and airport industrial center it is today.
“The credit really goes to the great boards of directors I’ve had over the years; and their setting goals and objectives for the airport,” Rogers said humbly. “Partnerships with the City, County and Chamber and an outstanding staff has helps us achieve those goals.”
Chairman Jeff Maes recalled a conversation from years past with his father Jim, also a former board chairman, in which Jim had stated that Salina was very fortunate to have an executive director like Rogers. Given his resume, he could go anywhere, he said.
Rogers went on to call his position at the Salina Airport Authority one of the “premier positions” for airport executives and credits his longevity at the airport with the fact that Salina is where he and his family want to be.
Resolution 15-01 reads as follows;
WHEREAS, Timothy F. Rogers, A.A.E., in his capacity as Executive Director of the Salina Airport Authority, has unselfishly and with great ability, completed thirty years of continuous service to the City of Salina and its citizens.
WHEREAS, commencing with his first day of employment on January 1, 1985 and up to January 1, 2015, during his thirty years of dedicated service, many lasting improvements have been made to the Salina Airport and the Salina Airport Industrial Center;
• Under his leadership, the Salina Regional Airport has become known as America’s Fuel Stop and one of the best Forward Operating Locations for military and research missions in the country. Tim’s efforts have brought a diverse mix of air traffic including flight training, corporate, general aviation and military flights contributing to the Salina air traffic control tower’s 90,000 annual operations.
• Under his direction, Tim has led significant improvements to the Salina Regional Airport including the construction of a new air traffic control tower, the addition of a second north-south runway, numerous pavement reconstruction and rehabilitation projects and the development of a 20-year Airport Master Plan.
• Tim’s effort has provided Salina and North Central Kansas residents access to hub airports with daily commercial flights departing from our community. In addition, Tim has brought many unique opportunities to the Airport including the launch and landing of the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer’s record setting flights.
• Tim has developed a vibrant Airport and Airport Industrial Center and helped numerous businesses and organizations establish and expand their operations that have led to an economic impact of over 3,700 employees with a payroll of nearly $140 million that benefits our community, the region and the State.
• For over a decade Tim has led the community in the effort to cleanup areas of extensive soil and groundwater contamination that occurred between 1942 and 1965 during the Airport’s days as an air force base. His tireless efforts resulted in the Salina public entities receiving a settlement sufficient to enable the community to initiate the design of the clean-up.
• Tim has unselfishly provided his time and expertise to numerous national, regional, state and local boards and has counseled and mentored many individuals seeking careers in the field of airport management. In 2011, his dedication to the industry earned him the American Association of Airport Executive’s Distinguished Service Award, which is the highest level of recognition for accredited airport executives and is a reflection of his outstanding accomplishments in his personal and professional life.
• Throughout his career, Tim has been a strong supporter of the U.S. military. Since 2008 he has been a member of the Governor’s Military Affairs Council and his leadership has led to the growth of military training activity at the Airport and Airport Industrial Center and has resulted in the development of the Great Plains Joint Training Center. In 2010, Tim was awarded the first-ever Kansas National Guard Patriot Medal for providing immeasurable support to the Great Plaints Joint Training Center and the Kansas National Guard.
WHEREAS, the City of Salina has been made a better place to live because of his work and efforts on behalf of his community.
