Tri-State Airport Authority- Beat Report #1

Tri-State Airport Authority

People I talked to:

1) Beckie McKinley – Marketing Director for 14.5 years

2) Jerry Brienza- Airport Director for four years

Current projects:

1) Remodeling interior of airport
2) Looking to find replacement airline after departure of Delta in 2012.
3) Building more taxiways (major 2013 project)
4) Possible planning of new parking structure (very early, planning stages)

Huntington Tri-State Airport is referred to as a “little city” by airport employees. The facility has its own police department and fire department, as well as two restaurants (Tudors and Gino’s- to be opened soon). Tri-State Airport also has a jet center, used for private airplanes, and also is home to a FedEx building, where packages are sorted and shipped.

Future:

1) I plan on talking to the president of the Airport Authority, Kevin Gunderson.
            2) I also plan on getting to know the members of the airport police department and finding out information about what is actually reported to them as far as crime on airport property, as well as what the do on a day-to-day basis.