"San Diego airport authority CEO a finalist for L.A. position"

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Airport authority CEO a finalist for L.A. position 
By Craig Gustafson
The San Diego (CA) Union-Tribune


SAN DIEGO - Thella Bowens, president/CEO of the San Diego County Regional
Airport Authority, is one of three finalists for the top job overseeing Los
Angeles' airports. 

Bowens, who earns $234,208 annually, has been San Diego's top airport
executive since state lawmakers spun the authority off as an independent
public agency in January 2003. 

Alan Bersin, chairman of the authority's board, said the fact that Bowens is
being considered for the Los Angeles job is a testament to her leadership
skills. 

"We view it as a great opportunity that presented itself for Thella Bowens
and we understand and would expect our leaders to pursue professional
opportunities of this caliber," he said. 

Bersin added, "Bottom line - we hope she doesn't get the job - it would be a
great loss to this region if she did." 

Bowens, who was traveling to Dallas yesterday afternoon, was unavailable for
comment. 

The city of Los Angeles owns and operates Los Angeles World Airports, which
oversees four airports, including Los Angeles International, the
fifth-busiest airport in the world. 

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa interviewed the finalists for the director's job
last week. 

Calls to Los Angeles World Airports were directed to the mayor. A message
left yesterday with Villaraigosa's office was not returned. 

The Los Angeles Daily News first reported the list of candidates Sunday. The
other finalists are a former director of the Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport and a former associate administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration.

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