My final interview was with Mayor Bach in his office. A few days later, I was offered the job. Airport? What in the world was I thinking? I had no idea what I was getting myself into- BUT when the Mayor (of a city of a half-million people) offers you a job- you take it! What an opportunity. I knew nothing about air service, aeronautical business development or aircraft crisis management. People think they know airports because they fly, but I PROMISE- you have no clue.
On top of my public information duties, I was tasked with increasing enplanements. (I had never even heard that word until my interview, haha) Just as most small to mid-sized airports across the country, air service options had dwindled and our proximity to Denver International has and will continue to be a problem. I had several folks ask me "why in the world would you take this job? It has to be terrible." I will agree with them. It had it's challenges but it stretched me further than I could have ever imagined.
I spent the first year wide-eyed and taking notes in every meeting. I was one of only two females around the management table. My first week on the job I experienced a full-scale mass-casualty exercise complete with a smoking aircraft and actors in full makeup. During my time there, I launched a Premier Membership Program/Business Lounge making every decision from the terms of membership to the type of muffins to be served in the lounge. From snow plowing operations and international diversions to the Canadian Prime Minister and Air Force One- I can honestly say that this was a wild and crazy ride.
I am honored to have been given this huge responsibility and today I said goodbye to the hardest working city employees in Colorado Springs.
And to my friends in the Springs... please, please, please keep flying COS!
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