Photo above – Burnette, left and DOAV Director Greg Campbell.
Photo by Bill Dickinson, DOAV.
The Director of the Airport Services Division of the Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV), Cliff Burnette, has retired after 44 years of continuous service.
Burnette, who began his career with the DOAV in February 1978, was an urban studies & planning major at Virginia Commonwealth University. He joined the DOAV in his senior year of college as an airport planner within the department’s Airport Services Division (ASD). Three years later, he was promoted to air service development officer. In 1986, Cliff was promoted to manager of the planning and environmental section of the ASD, a position he held until 2004. That year, he became the director of the ASD.
Photo by Bill Dickinson, DOAV.
During his tenure as division director, Cliff has overseen 7,500 projects worth more than $400 million at the 66 public-use airports in Virginia. The projects include construction, engineering, planning, environmental services, navigational aids, aviation security and airport maintenance programs.
In 2018, Cliff earned the National Association of State Aviation Officials’ (NASAO) State Aviation Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the field of aviation.
While he worked his entire adult life at the DOAV, he also answered the call of duty and simultaneously served in the U.S. Naval Reserve, rising to the rank of captain before retiring in 2014 after 26 years of service. A highly decorated officer, Cliff earned 18 military service awards including the Legion of Merit, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.
In addition to his bachelor’s degree, Cliff earned a master’s degree in public administration from VCU. He is a lifetime member of Corinth United Methodist Church in Sandston, and is a former member of the board of directors for the Chickahominy YMCA.
