The Tucson Airport Authority (TAA) has announced the hiring of Austin Wright as Chief Communications Officer and the promotion of Clark Wagner to Director of Finance.
Bringing with him over a decade of airline experience, Wright will oversee the TAA’s marketing and strategic communications department as well as the air service development team. As the newest member of the TAA’s executive team, he will report directly to the CEO.
“Now more than ever, communication plays a critical role as we highlight the TAA as a pillar of the community and as an economic engine for the Southern Arizona region,” said Danette Bewley, TAA President and CEO. “I am excited for Austin to bring a new dynamic to the team with his airline experience, especially as we work with airlines to expand prosperity through increased air service development at Tucson International Airport (TUS).”
Wright’s years of airline experience had him loyal to Southwest Airlines, where he continued to exceed expectations and promote from within. He started as a customer service agent based at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), then he took on various leadership roles at Dallas Love Field (DAL), (PIT), Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), and most recently TUS as Station Manager. Along the way, Wright has developed a skillset in leading results-driven teams, civic and community engagement, and serving as a liaison for multi-party projects, among many others that will benefit the TAA.
Wagner, with nine years of finance experience, and most recently the TAA’s Financial Controller, is positioned to adjust to his new role with ease.
“It is easy to become wrapped up in the figures and data sets when you work in the financial realm, but Clark is about more than the numbers,” said Bewley. “He has an incredible wealth of knowledge and business acumen, but more importantly, he knows how to connect with people; I look forward to his continued success as a leader within the TAA.”
As Financial Controller, Wager directed all financial accounting and reporting functions, as well as systems maintenance and configurations. Now, as Director of Finance, he will maintain existing responsibilities as well as managing the financial planning and analysis functions for the TAA. The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for Tucson International Airport (TUS) and Ryan Airfield (RYN) is a large undertaking and Wager has been instrumental in the collaborative effort for the two most recent reports.
Wager, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the state of Arizona, worked in areas of technical accounting and SEC financial reporting as Account Manager for CIM Group prior to joining the TAA. He also audited a diverse mix of clients for PricewaterhouseCoopers assurance and attestation practice. Wager is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Accounting; Master of Accounting.
Wright is currently studying to earn his Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas with a graduation date of June 2023. He is also a University of Arizona graduate, where he received a Bachelor of General Studies with an emphasis in Media Studies.
During his spare time, Wright enjoys being outside in the beautiful Arizona weather and trying new restaurants around Tucson.
