Pensacola International Airport Director Greg Donovan has been offered the executive director’s position by the Melbourne Airport Authority.(Photo: Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com)
The Melbourne Airport Authority this morning offered the executive director’s position to Greg Donovan, current director of Pensacola International Airport.
Donovan was a unanimous choice among the six authority members who took part in public interviews of the four candidates to take over for Richard Ennis who will retire next month.
Negotiations with Donovan were to begin immediately. The pay scale listed for the job is between $129,000 to $163,000 annually.
Donovan, a graduate of the Melbourne-based Florida Institute of Technology, has worked in Pensacola since March 2013. During that time, he has overseen the addition of Southwest Airlines service at the airport, charted a turbulent transition for the city's airport concessions contract and helped broker a deal with Singapore-based ST Aerospace that, if successful, could bring hundreds of skilled jobs to the city and change the face of the airport forever.
“This is one of the best stories in the entire community,” Donovan said when questioned about his interest in the Melbourne International job.
Before working for the city, Donovan served from 2008-2013 as director of Okaloosa County's three airports — Northwest Florida Regional Airport, Destin Airport and Bob Sikes/Crestview Airport. He earned his bachelors of science degree in aviation management from Florida Tech.
In 2011, Donovan was named Aviation Professional of the Year by the Florida Department of Transportation, and completed a term as president of the Florida Airports Council in October 2012.
Donovan talked about building on the strong economic development gains already existing at Melbourne International Airport and also working with local tourism officials to make the area a destination location, not simply some place to visit after a few days in the Orlando area.
“I think we made the right choice,” said William Potter, a Melbourne lawyer who also serves as chairman of the Melbourne Airport Authority.
Melbourne Mayor Kathy Meehan, who also serves on the authority, said on detail that stuck out with Donovan was that he was still promoting the Pensacola airport during his tour of the facility on Monday. She said Donovan handed her a promotional brochure of that airport after their one-on-one interview session.
“I think that was a great selling point,” Meehan said.
With Ennis’ departure, it’s the first time in nearly six decades that someone not previously associated with the airport previously is set to lead the organization.
Other final candidates for the job were:
Ismael "Izzy" Bonilla, chief operating officer of Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Aerostar is considered the first privatized medium-hub airport in the United States.
Rosa Beckett, chief administrative officer at the Jacksonville Airport Authority. JAA includes Jacksonville International Airport, Cecil Airport, Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport and Herlong Recreational Airport. As chief administrative officer, Beckett is responsible for human resources, procurement and information technology.
Tim Bradshaw, airport director at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a $15.8 million operation that serves more than 1 million passengers annually. He also is responsible for the Wright Brothers Business Park and the airport's Foreign Trade Zone.
Ennis was appointed to the executive director position in 2005. He replaced Jim Johnson, who was forced to resign because of ethical lapses.
Under his leadership, Melbourne International has seen expansion by Northrop Grumman Corp., the arrival of the Embraer jets assembly facility and engineering center and also long-term agreements with the Florida Institute of Technology.
Contact Price at 321-242-3658 or wprice@floridatoday.com.
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