WILLIAMSTOWN - While officials with the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport have yet to decide what qualities they are looking for in a new airport manager, inquiries already have started to come in.
"Several local people have expressed interest and I have received information from people from other areas on the position," said Wood County Airport Authority president Bill Richardson.
Last month, airport manager Terry Moore, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel and helicopter pilot, announced plans to retire in the coming year.
While Moore said he hopes to leave in the next couple of years, he gave the Wood County Airport Authority a target date of April 1, 2013.
"I'm not in a hurry to leave, so if they need me to stay longer, I am willing and able to," he said. "The board doesn't have to find my replacement tomorrow."
Moore has been the airport's manager since Jan. 1, 2007, after he shadowed former manager Carolyn Strock for several months after being hired in the fall of 2006.
Richardson said that along with inquiries from local residents about the position, he and Moore have also received requests for information from people in Florida, Iowa and a resume from Rome, N.Y.
"Since the position has not been announced, yet, I'm surprised we are getting so much feedback," Moore said.
Richardson asked fellow board members John Pfalzgraf, Jeff McDougle and Wayne Dunn about meeting to discuss what qualities the board would like in a new manager.
"We are going to have to meet as a whole to decide what we want," Richardson said. He was referring to having a joint meeting of the airport managing arm - Wood County Airport Authority - and the marketing arm - Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport Authority.
McDougle has been asked to be left out of the discussions because he has expressed interest in the position.
"Defining the position is going to be the hardest part for the board," Moore said. "It is more of what they want from the person in the position."
It is unknown when the board as a whole will meet or when the position will be officially announced.
"We don't really want to discourage people from putting themselves in the hat, but we also don't want to be swamped with applications," Richardson said.
