Ford Airport in Grand Rapids hires new CEO

Ford Airport in Grand Rapids hires new CEO

GRAND RAPIDS — James “Jim” Gill will be the new President & CEO of Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

The board of the Airport Authority voted unanimously yesterday to approve Gill’s hiring, according to a statement. He will begin the position on Jan. 9, 2017, replacing Brian Ryks who resigned in March to become CEO of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, as MiBiz reported at the time.

An Accredited Airport Executive with the American Association of Airport Executives, Gill comes to GFIA having previously worked as CFO and COO of Allegheny County Airport Authority in Pittsburgh.

“I am delighted to be joining the talented team at GFIA and I look forward to moving forward together,” Gill said in a statement. “An airport is so often the first and last impression that travelers have of the community and region, and so one must be committed to delivering outstanding operational performance while exceeding customer service expectations. I know we will continue to have an outstanding record of success in West Michigan, and I am excited to help lead the airport into a new, expansive era while working closely with the Authority Board, airport management, staff, and our community and business partners.”

The airport experienced its highest traffic year in 2015 with 2.5 million passengers passing through GFIA. A major renovation project that will combine the two security checkpoints into one remains ongoing.