"Airport chief flies skills to Iraq"

Saturday, August 23, 2003

Airport chief flies skills to Iraq 
Olympia Regional Airport loses top two managers 
The Olympian (WA)


TUMWATER -- The Olympia Regional Airport's top two managers are leaving
their posts to help restore Iraq's battered air transportation system. 

Airport director Doug Sandau received word Thursday night that he will be in
charge of modernizing the Basra International Airport in Iraq. 

Tim Lael, the airport's second in command, will leave Monday for Washington,
D.C., where he will help run support operations for various Iraqi airports,
including Basra. 

Sandau said he is reluctant to talk about the new job until he's studied the
terms of the contract. But he's ready to make the Mideast move. 

"It's a big jump, and I'm looking forward to it," Sandau said. 

Lael was unavailable to comment. 

"Doug and Tim have been tremendously effective at the airport, and it's a
real loss for us," port executive director Nick Handy said. 

Handy said he is scrambling to find someone to fill in for Lael immediately.
Airport staff can run the daily operations in Sandau's absence, but Lael was
in charge of security, which is more specialized, Handy said. 

The two departing managers will work for Serco, a British company that will
improve air service in Iraq through a contract with the U.S. State
Department. Serco handles a variety of tasks for government and industry
worldwide. For example, it runs air-traffic towers, including at the local
airport. 

The company first asked Lael, a former Serco employee, whether he was
interested in the Basra job. Lael declined the offer because he has a
family, then pointed the Serco recruiter to Sandau, who is single. 

Sandau said he expects a boost in salary. Last year, he was paid $64,000 as
airport manager. 

Under Sandau, the airport has evolved into a regional hub where more than
80,000 planes come and go yearly. He is credited with improving lighting,
ground-control systems and parking. 

"I hate to see both people go," Commissioner Steve Pottle said. "They felt
they had to make their career moves now and make some good money." 

For Sandau, the career advance won't be without some risks, Pottle said,
noting that he'll be in a warring region. 

"He's entering a somewhat dangerous situation," Pottle said.


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