The Tennessee Airports Conference (TAC) presented for the first time by the Tennessee Aviation Association (TAA) was a great success, attracting nearly 300 registrants, 48 sponsors and 38 exhibitors. Fifty-six airports were also represented at the conference.
TAA President Jo Ann Speer, was very pleased with the outcome of the conference. “We have received very positive comments from our survey and are already addressing some changes for next year.” Speer said they appreciated the input from the Tennessee Aeronautics Division. “Their presence and involvement in the conference is very valuable.” (Photo – Bill Orellana presents the “Excellence Awards.” – Photo courtesy of George Hornal)
Tennessee Aeronautics Division Director Bill Orellana, said they were particularly pleased with this year’s Airports Conference, especially since it was the first one planned and executed by the Tennessee Aviation Association. “All airport sponsors and managers received lots of good information from FAA representatives, from industry vendors, and from our own Division personnel regarding airport maintenance, modernization, standards, and operations,” said Orellana. “We were honored to have Mark Baker, the new President of the AOPA as a special guest. A very beneficial conference in all regards.”
The TAC Excellence Awards were presented during the conference and included Airport of the Year, Airport Management of the Year and Governing Body of the Year. Larry Cox was recognized for special, long-term achievements in aviation and General William G. Moore (1920-2012) was recognized for his Career Contributions to Aviation in Tennessee.
Cox, the previous President and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, has been a significant contributor to aviation, most specifically, in Tennessee – but his efforts have had much farther reaching impacts, even worldwide. His long-term leadership at Memphis – where he developed the airport into the largest volume cargo hub in the United States, handling over 9 billion lbs. per year – has been a superb testimonial to his astute planning and program execution.
Cox (shown at left with TDOT Commissioner John Schroer, right) recently retired after 41 distinguished years at Memphis International Airport, 29 as the President and CEO. He served three years in the U.S. Air Force as a transportation and logistics officer. The logistics network that Larry Cox, Memphis Airport, and FedEx developed has resulted in huge financial impacts in many areas worldwide, not least of which is the Tennessee Transportation Equity Fund.
General Moore was a US Air Force veteran of 39 years, and logged combat missions in three wars, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He commanded the 834th Airlift Division in Saigon with responsibility for all tactical airlift in the operating theater. His career culminated as the Commander in Chief, Military Airlift Command, where he was responsible for worldwide, global airlift. He retired at a four-star General in 1979. He then began his second career as President of Emery Air Freight and then as President and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. Under his leadership, the authority constructed Nashville’s present passenger terminal complex, added two parallel air carrier runways, substantially extended a third and completed facilities to include cargo handling facilities.
The award for Airport Management of the Year was shared by Steve Smith and Cindy Melton (Mckellar-Sipes Regional Airport – shown above), a team who continually perform at the very highest levels, whether it might involve long-range strategic planning, project execution, day-to-day operations or state-wide activities involved with the airports conference. They completed a major rehab for their crosswind runway, completed a new corporate hangar and are currently letting bides for a taxiway construction to tie into a Cessna Service center on the field as well as rehab of another apron area.
Cleveland Regional Jetport was the recipient of the Airport of the Year Award. The jetport is the third new airport constructed in Tennessee in the last 30 years, and management hit the ground running. Since opening, they have constructed jet fuel and AVGAS services, completed the north ramp, phase I, project to provide infrastructure for corporate and recreational hangar development. The have added 20 T-hangars, four box hangars, a monster hangar with more to come.
Winchester Airport Authority was awarded the 2014 Governing Body of the Year for the successfully administering and modernizing a facility to meet operational challenges and mission growth. The airport authority completed a runway crack access road as the first step of taxiway relocation and are currently in the process of constructing that access road. Grants are in place for the road and eventual extension of the taxiway, as well as an upgrade of airfield lighting, all which exceed $2.5M. In addition, they are expanding the parking ramp to accommodate the increased large aircraft cargo operations. They also are planning another set of T-hangars.
A special thank you to Jackie Hernandez, Tennessee Division of Aeronautics, for contributing to this article.
