Client Updates

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (Manchester, NH)
Passenger Flow and Congestion Analysis

SBA was commissioned by the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport to perform a detailed review and analysis of passenger flow and congestion at the airport, as part of the airport’s application to the FAA for federal grant funds to help alleviate the issue. SBA conducted an in-depth review of the root cause of the congestion problem, along with an analysis of a broad range of relevant data, and subsequently prepared a passenger flow analysis white paper on the situation and our findings. Manchester then submitted this report—which cited the dated layout configuration of the terminal as central to the problem—to the FAA for funds for the project. SBA’s analysis was key to the FAA awarding Manchester a grant of $4.5 million dollars to renovate the terminal space to improve passenger flow.

AAAE Great Lakes Conference
Governance Transfer Presentation 

SBA recently teamed up with our client the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids, MI to present on governance transference at the AAAE’s Great Lakes Chapter “Building Connections” conference, held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from August 6 - 9, 2015. Presenting at the conference were Brian Ryks, Executive Director of GRR, and Steven T. Baldwin, President/CEO of SBA. Brian and Steve presented "Creating an Airport Authority" which detailed the complex change of moving from city/county/state operators to regional airport authority operators, as well as the in-depth FAA requirements and application process needed to obtain successful approval for such a governance transfer.

The presentation was well received and GRR shared its timeline of milestones achieved in the multi-year process. We are delighted that the Great Lakes Chapter asked us to present at the conference, and we are excited about sharing our expertise in this area with the industry. 
 

Gerald R. Ford International Airport (Grand Rapids, MI)
Governance Transfer Milestones and Updates
 

As the consultant of record overseeing the creation of an Airport Authority for GRR, SBA has been supporting the process in numerous ways.

• In terms of project milestones, the governor of Michigan recently signed into legislation the law that enables the Authority to exist. This was after successful lobbying and drafting of testimony organized by SBA.
• Our work on this issue was recently featured in the local Michigan business journal: http://mibiz.com/item/22669-new-autonomous-airport-authority-could-streamline-operations-in-gr

• EXTENSION OF STAFF SERVICES
   
  Effective airport management consulting involves blending policy and technical expertise as well as assisting clients with transitional needs during times of change—including the augmentation of day-to-day staff services. Recently, as part of the ongoing transition to an Authority form of governance at GRR, SBA teamed with the Airport to manage talent recruitment for the new Authority’s human resource manager. Lisa Belt, whose professional career comprises 25 years of strategic human resources management, was chosen from a strong pool of candidates to provide HR services. In order to facilitate client needs, SBA coordinated the hiring under an independent contract with anticipation of Lisa transitioning to becoming a direct employee of the Authority once the governance transfer is complete. GRR took this measure to assure that, during this time of organizational change, direct HR services are available to all employees at the Airport. Lisa is busy setting up new HR programs and policies, and will assure a smooth and welcome transfer of Airport employees’ employment status to employees of the new Authority on July 1, 2016. 

Syracuse Hancock International Airport (Syracuse, NY)
Economic Development