Wisconsin Airport Management Association News

Terry has been with Mead & Hunt since graduating with a Civil Engineering degree from UW-Platteville. He is the project manager for Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport, Dane County Regional Airport, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in South Carolina, and routinely assists with other airport projects. He is a tremendous asset, contributing to the success of the airports with which he works. He balances complex projects at multiple airports while ensuring projects are completed safely. Terry goes the extra mile, often working after hours to ensure projects stay on track. Additionally, he volunteers his time, serving on the Wisconsin Aviation Conference planning committee to provide a high-quality WAC event for the benefit of all airports in Wisconsin.

Midwest Flyer Magazine Photo by Dave Weiman

Distinguished Service Award:

Charity Zich, Chippewa Valley Regional Airport

Charity has served the users of the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport for 17 years as the airport director. She continually makes outstanding contributions to Wisconsin aviation through her tenure at the airport and on the WAMA Board of Directors. Charity has helped the board keep its past in sight while working on the airport challenges of today and tomorrow. Her uniquely pragmatic problem-solving approach has been most evident in her successful efforts over the years to keep commercial air service at her airport. Charity is a leader in her community and the larger aviation community in Wisconsin and beyond.

Midwest Flyer Magazine Photo by Dave Weiman

Lifetime Service Award:

Bob O'Brien

Bob worked in the aviation industry for nearly four decades – for airports and WAMA. He served in leadership roles at various airports throughout Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Georgia. The list of airports is long, including Madison, Green Bay, La Crosse, Platteville, Fort Wayne, IN; Dubuque, IA; Springfield, IL; Brainerd, MN; and Columbus, GA. In 2012, after nine years of running the Chicago Rockford International Airport, Bob was appointed the executive director of WAMA and served in that position until 2020. He also served 20 years in the U.S. military, mostly in the National Guard and Army Reserves.

Blue Light Award:

Dick Knapinski, EAA

Dick has promoted aviation for more than thirty years. He has been EAA’s director of communications since January 2010, having advanced to that position after serving as a member of EAA’s public relations/marketing staff since 1992. His responsibilities include liaising with the media representatives who report on EAA activities throughout the year. Those activities include the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh flyin, which has a yearly attendance of more than 600,000 and draws 10,000 airplanes and over 800 international media members to Oshkosh. Before joining the EAA staff, Dick worked for broadcast and print media outlets throughout Wisconsin. He continues to contribute as a writer for newspapers and magazines, and he co-authored the book EAA Oshkosh: The Best Aviation Photography.

Midwest Flyer Magazine Photo by Dave Weiman

Person of the Year Award:

Abe Weber, Appleton International Airport

Abe, airport director at Appleton International Airport, has served on the WAMA Board of Directors since 2012 and is a past president of the organization. He has been an active leader in the organization’s advocacy, leading past efforts to pass sales tax exemptions for aviation parts and labor in Wisconsin. As a WAMA governmental affairs committee member, Abe has shepherded efforts to pass legislation to help the state’s airports deal with nuisance wildlife over the past year. He continues to look for opportunities to improve aviation for all Wisconsin airports.

Midwest Flyer Magazine Photo by Dave Weiman

Congratulations to all!

JULY 2023 NEWSLETTER

Luke Pearson — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 19:54:09 GMT

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MAY 2023 NEWSLETTER

Luke Pearson — Tue, 30 May 2023 18:05:22 GMT

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JANUARY 2023 NEWSLETTER

Luke Pearson — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:22:09 GMT

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OCTOBER 2022 NEWSLETTER

Luke Pearson — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 18:17:06 GMT

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

2022 WAMA Award Winners

Luke Pearson — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 21:06:20 GMT

Each year, the Wisconsin Airport Management Association recognizes individuals who have made an impact on aviation in the state!

Airport Engineer Award:

Ryan Falch, SEH

Ryan, now a senior engineer with SEH, has assisted many airports in part 139 inspections, Capital Improvement and Master Planning, and runway reconstruction. For four years while a member of the MSA’s Aviation division, he designed, engineered, and managed several large-scale projects at Alexander Field (KISW) in Wisconsin Rapids. What sets Ryan apart is his dedication to familiarizing himself with the airfield, community, and stakeholders.

Distinguished Service Award:

Michael Stephens, Dane County Regional Airport

Michael currently serves as the Director of Operations and Public Safety for the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison. He has been an invaluable resource and friend to Wisconsin airports in many professional capacities, including as a former FAA Certification Safety Inspector for the Great Lakes Region. Michael is always willing to assist when called upon by his fellow airport operators, and his vast knowledge and extensive connections will be greatly missed when he retires.

Lifetime Service Award:

Randy Van Natta, Becher Hoppe

Randy served as president and CEO of Becher Hoppe Associates, an engineering consulting firm in Wausau, Wisconsin, from 2004 through 2021. While president, he continued to actively consult on airport improvement projects and provide quality assurance reviews. His passion for aviation kept him involved in airport consulting. Randy and Becher Hoppe are long-time supporters of the Wisconsin Airport Management Association and the Wisconsin Aviation Conference. Since the beginning of 2022, Randy has served as a senior consultant at Becher Hoppe.

Blue Light Award:

Frank Pipia, Jr., TSA

Frank is the TSA stakeholder manager for Wisconsin. In this role, he wears many hats, all of them well. Frank handles strategic communications and public affairs, graphic design, and public and media relations. He works closely with Wisconsin’s congressional delegation and often invites delegation members to tour Wisconsin airports while Congress is in recess. Frank also coordinates and promotes TSA Pre-Check enrollment events. During COVID, Frank was a steadying presence, relaying to the public the positive things airports implemented to keep the traveling public safe.

Person of the Year Award:

Josh Holbrook, WBOA

Josh is a project manager with the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics. Project managers typically are only assigned one commercial service airport. Still, Josh has juggled Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (EAU) and Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) on multiple occasions, including the last year. Both airports have an extensive capital improvement program and have added additional projects with CARES and AIG funding. Josh always supports airports aggressively pursuing funding opportunities and never says no when asked to help with another project. Even when stretched thin due to staffing shortages and additional federal grant programs, Josh delivers for his airports.

Congratulations to all!

JULY 2022 NEWSLETTER

Luke Pearson — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 17:40:04 GMT

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Tue, 17 May 2022 18:47:58 GMT

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JANUARY 2022 NEWSLETTER

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 11:04:34 GMT

JANUARY NEWSLETTER

2021 WAMA Award Winners

Charity Zich — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 17:27:01 GMT

Each year, the Wisconsin Airport Management Association recognizes individuals who have made an impact on aviation in the State!

Airport Engineer Award

Kevin Kunde, Mead & Hunt

For over 40 years, Kevin Kunde has made significant professional contributions to airport engineering in Wisconsin and across the nation, including developing expertise in Airport Traffic Control Towers (ATCT), snow removal equipment facilities, hangars, operations centers, fueling stations, electrical vaults, and various specialty structures associated with airports. He is known for his ability to successfully execute complex, high-profile projects with award-winning and innovative solutions.

Distinguished Service Award

Mike Paffel, Cumberland Airport Commission

Mike has been a member of the Cumberland Airport Commission for 30 years, serving as Chairman for the last 25. Over the past 30 years, he has overseen the airport development from four hangars to 20, plus two very successful private businesses at the Cumberland Municipal Airport. Mike is an expert on Federal and State airport programs leading to new runways, a new fuel delivery system, ATIS weather reporting, new arrival and departure building, and construction of a new hangar development area for future expansion. He holds a Private Pilot license and has been an aircraft owner.

Lifetime Service Award

David Jensen, Dane County Regional Airport

Dave served in the Wisconsin Air National Guard for more than 23 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He joined Dane County Regional Airport as an Airport Operations Supervisor in 1991 and served in various roles with WAMA, including serving as WAMA President in 1999-2002. That was a busy time for the organization as WAMA worked closely with muliple lobbyists and state elected officials. Dave spent many hours testifying before numerous committees representing the best interest of Wisconsin airports. Additionally, he helped hire WAMA’s first executive director. He served on the WAMA board until retiring from Dane County as Deputy Airport Director in 2020.

Person of the Year Award

Charity Zich, C.M., Chippewa Valley Regional Airport

Charity has been the Airport Director at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (EAU) for 15 years. During that time, she has held a variety of leadership roles within WAMA, including past President. Furthermore, she is excited to host next year’s 66^th Wisconsin Aviation Conference in Eau Claire. In the two and a half years since our last conference, Charity has been a stalwart supporter of aviation in the state. She has maintained and improved the WAMA’s website, ensured timely and accurate communication, led WAMA executive director recruitment, was a proponent of increased aviation funding in the state, planned airshows, and ensured the financial and operational sustainability of EAU through a global pandemic.

In addition, Brian Grefe, C.M., Central Wisconsin Airport Director, received the President’s Award for his leadership with WAMA since 2019. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport was recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture Milwaukee office for the airport’s outstanding commitment, support and leadership as a partner with the Wisconsin Wildlife Services Program. And several Fly Wisconsin participants flew in to be applauded for completing a tour of all Wisconsin’s airports.

Congratulations to all!

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWSLETTER

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 21:14:34 GMT

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

JULY 2021 NEWSLETTER

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 17:52:48 GMT

JULY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2021 NEWSLETTER

Lisa Maroney — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 17:51:50 GMT

MARCH NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTER

Charity Zich — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 18:19:09 GMT

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

2019 Wisconsin Act 101

Charity Zich — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 19:02:27 GMT

WAMA continues to follow state legislation regarding the use of Class B firefighting foams that are federally mandated for use by FAA Part 139 Certificated Airports. Comments were recently submitted by the WAMA Board to the Department of Natural Resources regarding WI airports concerns with the Draft Emergency Rule WA-06-20E.

WAMA Support for Coronavirus Relief Package

Charity Zich — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 18:50:18 GMT

On behalf of our members, WAMA recently submitted a letter of support for an additional coronavirus relief package to the WI Federal Congressional Delegation.

WAMA Executive Director

Charity Zich — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 14:35:38 GMT

WAMA Executive Director

It is with great appreciation that we bid farewell to our WAMA Executive Director, Bob O'Brien. Bob has been with the organization since 2012 and has decided to hang up his Airport hat for the last time on June 30th. We want to thank Bob for his support for our organization over the last 8 years and wish him the best of luck on his retirement. Don't be a stranger, Bob!

As the saying goes, when one door closes another one opens. It is with excitement that we announce our new Executive Director Lisa Maroney. Lisa is new to the Airport industry but has considerable legislative experience and in previous careers has represented many different Statewide associations.