Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Lehigh Valley International (KABE), Pennsylvania: Allentown's airport gains a director, loses a consultant

By hiring Executive Director Charles Everett, LVIA signals an end to its deal with AvPorts Management.

By Matt Assad, Of The Morning Call

2:59 p.m. EST, February 26, 2013

Like an aircraft struggling to get off the ground, the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Tuesday turned the controls over to its pilot Charles Everett, but will likely jettison its management company AvPorts.

The authority board unanimously approved bringing Everett, its consultant executive director the past 14 months, on staff to run the airport.

While the move puts the foundering airport in the hands of Everett, it almost certainly signals the end to the airport's contract with AvPorts Management, the Virginia company brought in to steer the airport in a new direction.

Perhaps more important, while Everett will continue getting his $142,000 annual salary, the airport will be able to shed the $336,000 a year it is paying AvPorts, once its contract expires at the end of the year.

Everett has served as executive director since last year, but as an AvPorts employee brought in by the company to lead the airport into an uncertain future.

"He has faith in where we are going and we like his work," Authority Board chairman Tony Iannelli said. "We appear to be in the early stages of a beautiful marriage."

Unlike his predecessor, George Doughty, who had a three-year contract that some board members questioned, Everett will be an at-will employee of the authority who can be released at any time. Passenger traffic is down and airport finances are unstable, but Everett said he welcomed a chance to lead the airport long-term.

"I like this community and I like that the board has confidence in me," said Everett, who moved to the Lehigh Valley from the Washington D.C. area. "I think this airport has a bright future."

Source:  http://www.mcall.com

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