Jesse Romo Named Wichita Director of Airports

Jesse R. Romo, A.A.E is the new Director of Airports for the City of Wichita. Romo, formally the Director of Aviation for the Kansas Department of Transportation, currently is the Airport Director for the Manhattan Regional Airport in Manhattan, Kan.

Jesse R. Romo

“Mr. Romo comes to the City of Wichita with an extensive aviation background. He brings proven success at various levels of aviation management, and we believe his previous experience mixed with a fresh perspective will be an asset to our city,” said City Manager Robert Layton.

The Director of Airports is responsible for the executive leadership of the Department of Airports and for oversight and operations of Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport and Colonel James Jabara Airport. The Department is the landlord of both airports and its real estate activities, and provides services to airlines, tenants, customers, and visitors.

Romo said he is extremely honored and humbled to follow in the footsteps of airport directors Bailis Bell and Victor White, who have no doubt left their undeniable imprint. His first day will be Monday, November 29.

Romo holds a Master of Business Administration in Aviation with a focus in Human Resources Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from University of California, Los Angeles and is an accredited professional and licensed pilot. He was also named a 40-Under-40 Best and Brightest by Airport Business Magazine in 2012.

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.