Fort Smith Regional Airport Director John Parker steps down after almost 20 years

After eight years as director and almost 20 years with the airport, Fort Smith Regional Airport Director John Parker is stepping down.

Parker announced his retirement effective March 31, 2017, at the end of the Airport Commission meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Parker told Talk Business & Politics the reason for his departure is simply “retirement” and that he plans to stay in the Fort Smith area, “at least at first,” citing family in Alaska as possibly fitting into future plans.

That leaves the commission with four months to fill the post – plenty of time for a national search, according to Chairman James Kelly, who said the body would meet with Parker next week to lay out plans for the position. Kelly also commended the work that Parker has done as director for close to a decade, stating the “airport is a much better place than what it was before he took over.”

“I think a sign of the quality of any leader is the quality of his staff,” Kelly continued, adding that Parker had done a “great job” assembling his.

Commissioner Mac McGhee called the airport under Parker’s guidance “one of the most professional and efficient” bodies he had ever known. Parker, he said, did “a fine job” and made the commission’s job “really easy.”

“You have done a wonderful job and will be missed personally and professionally,” he added, addressing Parker directly.

Commissioner Wayne Haver, who has served on the commission for 15 years, said it would be “difficult to replace” Parker because of the “caliber and quality of person” he is. “He’s why I stayed 15 years. It’s been an easy thing to serve here.”

Parker began his career at the airport as the director of operations in June 1997 and took over as director in 2008.

In other business Tuesday, the commission approved its 2017 budget. The 2017 budget reflects a deficit of $256,400 with $3.039 million in operating expenses against an estimated $2.783 million in revenues. Parker explained the airport budgets as conservatively as possible for revenues and “worst case scenario” for expenses. The overall budget for operating and capital is $6.206 million with the remaining $3.166 million committed to capital projects.

To handle any actual deficits, the airport holds an ongoing reserve, which currently sits at $1.958 million. Since 2013, the number has hovered above and a little below $2 million going from $2.247 million to $2.395 million in 2014, and $2.209 million in 2015. The proposed 2017 budget shows an ending balance of $1.775 million.

For 2016, Parker noted the airport’s operating budget was at $2.314 million in revenue and $2.181 million in expenses. For the same period in 2015, revenues were at $2.078 million while expenses were at $2.47 million.

The next regular meeting of the Fort Smith Regional Airport Commission will take place on Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m. from the second floor of the airport terminal.