"New CEO at New York airport's helm"

Tuesday, September 16, 2003 

New CEO at airport's helm 
Colonie-- John A. O'Donnell emphasizes adding sources of revenue, more
flight destinations  
By CATHY WOODRUFF
The Albany (NY) Times Union


John A. O'Donnell, the engineer who has overseen Albany International
Airport's construction and expansion since 1996, was tapped as the airport's
new chief executive officer Monday.

O'Donnell, 51, succeeds John C. Egan, who left the airport in March to take
a new post as president of the nonprofit Renaissance Corp. O'Donnell had
been acting chief executive since Egan's departure.

He takes over as the airport struggles to increase flights and passenger
boardings amid continuing turbulence in the airline industry. Projections
are for the airport to end this year in the black, but boardings for the
year are on track to come in nearly 5 percent below budget expectations and
3.5 percent below last year.

"The most important challenge is budgetary right now," O'Donnell said
shortly after accepting the $106,050-a-year post. "We are going through a
small percentage decrease in enplanements, which has a significant impact on
our annual operating budget."

In presentations to the authority board after his appointment, O'Donnell and
other staff members outlined several projects already on the authority's
drawing board. They include adding more space for overnight aircraft
parking, leasing of more maintenance and storage facilities, and encouraging
development of vacant airport property.

"We're looking to diversify the revenue stream for the airport," O'Donnell
said later, pointing to close to 100 available acres that he called
"shovel-ready."

He said he also expects to emphasize airport efforts to foster economic
development and push for airlines here to add more destinations -- or woo
other airlines that will.

He did not rule out bringing in new low-cost carriers, such as Jet Blue, to
join Southwest, but said Southwest will have "a full opportunity to bring in
new destinations in coming months," which could ease the need to reach out
to other airlines.

O'Donnell was among 47 applicants and four semifinalists interviewed in
June. The Rev. Michael A. Farano, chairman of the board and of the search
committee, said O'Donnell's experience and knowledge of the community, as
well as his commitment to the airport's role in economic development, were
key considerations.

"I think what the airport does here complements what the universities and
the private sector are doing," Farano said, calling airports "a necessary
resource" for business and other economic development.

Farano also stressed the need for adding destinations, saying restoring
service to New York's Kennedy Airport, lost when American Eagle -- the
commuter arm of American Airlines -- eliminated its flights in May, is
especially important.

The authority board approved a four-year contract for O'Donnell.

"We want to give John time to come to completion with many of these
projects," Farano said.

O'Donnell, who lives in Guilderland, is a married father of two. After
coming to the airport in 1996 as director of project development, he managed
the five-year effort that included construction of a new terminal, parking
garage, cargo facility and air traffic control tower.

He was named chief operating officer in 1999, becoming responsible for all
daily operations of the airport, new construction, terminal and airfield
development, security and other concerns.

He spent 17 years at the state Office of General Services, where he managed
projects including Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo. He was director
of design consultant services at OGS when he left to join the airport staff.

O'Donnell, a graduate of Hudson Valley Community College and Union College,
began his career at Callanan Industries in Ravena.


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