AIR FORCE VETERAN NAMED TO AIRPORT JOB

A career Air Force flight officer and pilot from Southeast Missouri is the new Cape Girardeau airport manager.

Randy Holdman, 46, a native of Bonne Terre, takes over operation of the airport on June 1, according to Doug Leslie, director of public works. Holdman is currently living in Texas.

Holdman replaces Mark Seesing, who was the first airport manager in the history of the airport. Seesing left that position this spring to become operations manager for Cape Central Airways, the fixed based operator at the airport.

Holdman attended Mineral Area Community College for one year before his appointment to the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs.

After graduation from the academy in 1970, Holdman went on to graduate school at the University of Illinois at Urbana, where he obtained his master's degree in civil engineering.

During most of his 20-year Air Force career, Holdman was a fighter pilot, flying F-4 and F-16 jet fighters. He was stationed at several stateside and overseas air bases, including Korea, Spain and Germany.

Before retiring in January 1991 as a lieutenant colonel, Holdman also served in several Air Force middle management positions, including that of deputy commander for joint air operations in the invasion of Panama. He was squadron commander of a fighter squadron at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Since his retirment from the Air Force, Holdman has worked for the state of Texas Aviation Department and Lonestar Overnight Express Air.

Holdman says he applied for the airport manager's position because of the challenge it offers and because it allows him to return to Southeast Missouri.

"As a fighter pilot or a civilian pilot, all you can do is fly. As a squadron commander or someone involved in airport operations, you're able to do a lot more things. It's the same thing here, the challenge of taking over operation of an airport," he explains.

"With all of the proposed development plans on the books in the next 2-3 years, it will be a challenge to shepherd the program through to completion."

Before coming to Cape Girardeau, Holdman was involved in fixed base operations in Texas and in the Air Force. He says the Cape Girardeau Airport has great potential.

"I would rate your airport at well above the normal standard you see for a city the size of Cape Girardeau. You have a lot to offer. But that's not the problem or the challenge," he says.

"We have the infrastructure in place. We have what we need to offer as far as aviation services. Now we have to get the word out. We must promote and market the Cape Girardeau airport.

"That means salesmanship, making phone calls, writing letters, personal contacts. The idea is to attract new aviation-related business or industry to the airport. This will increase our flight operations and benefit everyone."

Holdman says such things as an airport restaurant or customer service-oriented fixed base operation that offers quality service should never be underestimated.

"All of these can work miracles in the development of aviation in a community," he points out. "You never know if the guy dressed in blue jeans and a sweat shirt that's getting out of a small airplane to refuel and service the plane and grab a bite at the airport restaurant may not be the chief executive of some multi-million dollar corporation that's looking for a place to locate near an airport."

Holdman says when pilots and those involved in civil aviation find quality service at an airport and its FBO, they will go out of their way to patronize that airport.

"It's not because the gas is cheaper. It's because of the service they receive and they way they're treated," Holdman observed.

Leslie, along with William H. Walker, newly elected chairman of the Cape Girardeau Airport Board and other members of the airport board, were at the airport on Friday to welcome Holdman to Cape Girardeau. They inspected the renovation of the airport terminal building, now nearing completion.

"We're very pleased to have Randy coming on board June 1," says Leslie. "We've had about a 2-month selection process. We advertised on a regional basis and received over 150 resumes for the position. A lot of those were very well qualified, which speaks very highly for Randy, coming through the process and being selected."

Leslie says the appointment of Holdman as airport manager comes at a critical time in the development of the airport.

"We have a lot of significant development work going on at the airport. There is a need to start working on the essential air service program by Trans World Express, our local air carrier. There are just a lot of things happening right now that need hands-on attention," he says.

Commenting on the importance of an airport to a community, Leslie says the airport and its related facilities provide a "front door" to Cape Girardeau for major businesses and industry already located in the community.

"The airport itself is a critical part of the services to business and industry in the area. Without our airport and its excellent facilities, we might not have some of the existing business.20An up-to-date, modern airport with flight facilities attracts aviation and encourages new business and industry," he points out.

"When a corporate aircraft lands at our airport, and the executives get off the plane, their first, and sometimes, only impression of Cape Girardeau is what they see and experience at the airport. We want that first impression and experience to be a very positive one."

Walker says the appointment of Holdman as airport manager and completion of the airport terminal building means the city can increase its emphasis on attracting another air carrier "to help make flying to and from Cape Girardeau more attractive to those who have found it more beneficial to do otherwise.

"The arrival of Lt. Col. Holdman as the airport manager and the additional support the city has committed to him will make it easier for the airport board to concentrate on additional improvements and development of additional aviation related business at the airport," Walker continued. "With his talent and expertise to oversee our planned improvements, day-to-day operations, and help recruit business, we should be well on our way to accomplishing many of the goals that (former airport board chairman) Jerry McClanahan has worked so long and hard to bring to fruition. With the help of our talented board, I hope to provide greater long-term planning and support for continued improvement and development of the airport."

Walker expressed his appreciation, and that of the airport board, to Leslie and his staff for their help at the airport while airport manager selection process was under way.

"Doug Leslie and his staff at public works have worked hard in the absence of an airport manager to try to keep projects moving on schedule and revised the airport planning documents. The document has been submitted to the state requesting funding under an experimental block grant program. Thanks to an excellent job by our city staff and the engineers, we expect to be able to announce the outcome of this application in a few days."

Commenting on his election as chairman of the airport board, Walker, a former Marine officer and naval aviator who is now in his second term on the board, remarked: "I am concerned because I have a very big pair of shoes to fill. Jerry McClanahan's absence from the board means we are losing the leadership of one of Cape Girardeau's most concerned, experienced, and capable community leaders. Mr. McClanahan has given freely of his time and energy to see the airport through some very difficult times and is largely responsible for all of the positive projects now under way as well as many to be announced in the future.

"I hope he will continue to serve as my adviser because of his contacts and knowledge of the history of the airport. As a result of Jerry's efforts, I am now chairman of what appears to be one of the most talented and professionally qualified airport boards in the history of the airport with a tremendous working relationship with the city staff."

Holdman is married. He and his wife, Sharon, have two children, ages 4 and 7.