http://www.pe.com/business/local/stories/PE_Biz_D_airport09.3888553.html New director excited about Palm Springs International Airport's expansion 10:00 PM PDT on Sunday, June 10, 2007 By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL The Press-Enterprise Before July ends, Palm Springs International Airport will have a new executive director. Thomas Nolan, assistant director of airports for Wichita Mid-Continent Airport in Kansas, will oversee Palm Springs International Airport's expansion plans, which include finishing a new regional terminal, overhauling the concession area and, potentially, building an international terminal. "Everyone during the interview process, led by the city manager, had a very common mission: It was a unanimous mission of 'move the airport forward,' " Nolan said by phone. "It's rare in this industry to find that type of synergism." Nolan oversaw daily operations, public safety and maintenance at Wichita's airport. "That's a pretty big load and he's done a great job in running those things," said Victor White, executive director of Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. "He came to Wichita very highly recommended ... it's good for him but it's bad for Wichita." Palm Springs City Council voted unanimously last Wednesday to approve Nolan's contract that will pay him $153,672 annually. Nolan earned $101,000 in 2006 at Mid-Continent Airport. Palm Springs City Manager David Ready fired the airport's former director of aviation, Richard Walsh, in April, not long after Ready created the executive-director position that would have given Walsh a new boss. "I was required to step in on the significant amount of issues that were arising at the airport from construction to air service development, and that's one of the reasons we realized we needed to restructure airport management," Ready said of the new position. "It's no longer a small-town airport." The city paid the former director of aviation about $129,000 annually, Ready said. He said the director-of-aviation position still exists and Nolan could choose to fill it or eliminate it once he arrives. Nolan said he doesn't know yet what he'll do with the director-of-aviation position. He also said he wasn't concerned about the way Walsh departed the airport. "This industry is very volatile," he said. Reach Kimberly Pierceall at 951-368-9552 or kpierceall@xxxxxx ____________________________________________________________________________________ Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles. Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/ <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".