The search continues for the next airport manager for the Juneau International Airport.
The board, on June 9, identified two finalists, Michael Clow and Michael Isaacs, from a pool of applicants. Clow and Isaacs participated in a public meet-and-greet, as well as a more formal interview with the board. Neither of these candidates is now in the running for the position as of Thursday.
“The applicants are here looking to see if the community and the airport is a good fit for them, and we are checking them out to see if they were good for us,” said Dallas Hargrave, human resources and risk management director for the City and Borough of Juneau. “And through those two factors neither one worked out.”
Patty Wahto, who had served in the position for 27 years, retired in April. Dave Palmer has been serving as the interim manager, with a commitment to stay in the position until early September while the selection process is underway.
Hargrave presented the airport board with two options for proceeding with the selection process: re-engaging with the previously considered candidates in a different manner or reposting the position to attract new applicants.
During their executive session, the board decided to re-engage with candidates previously identified by ADK Executive Search, the recruitment agency that the airport has been using to find a new airport manager. Reposting the job would cost the board $4,000, however Hargrave said ADK Executive Search revisiting the previously identified candidates comes at no additional charge.
The board will also consider a person on the current management team who did not apply within the original recruitment time frame for the role, either as an interim manager or in a permanent capacity.
The airport has not yet made the names of these candidates public, but will release their resumes and hold public interviews for the position as part of the selection process.
• Contact Natalie Buttner at natalie.buttner@juneauempire.com.
