A renewed task force, for a new normal at RDU
- February 18, 2021
- Posted by: Joe Milazzo II
- Category: Blog
We all know the importance of a successful RDU Airport to our region.
To be direct about it: RDU’s economic impact, job creation and taxes contribute mightily to our overall well-being, and indeed many companies and leaders would not be here but for RDU.
To ensure that RDU can continue to serve us well, RTA created a task force in 2019 to develop suggestions for sustainable funding for RDU as the region grows. When we released the task force findings early last year — and received front page coverage in the Triangle Business Journal for raising the issue — we weren’t planning on having a task force 2.0. Of course, neither was RDU.
We all know what has transpired in our world since March of last year: a pandemic showed up, and the resulting downturn in the economy – and certainly in air travel – has create a new landscape for commercial aviation and significant pressure on RDU’s business model.
The RTA RDU AID task force 2.o will delve into the challenge over the next several months. Task force members include:
- Joe Anglim, Senior Director, Corporate Strategy, Red Hat, Inc.
- Jim Beley, General Manager, The Umstead Hotel and Spa
- Sarah Gaskill, Director of Leadership and Talent Acquisition, Accuro
- Linda Hall, Executive VP and CFO, The Research Triangle Foundation of NC
- Rob Herman, GM/Executive Director, Workstation Business Unit, Lenovo
- Harold Hicks, Senior Director, Real Estate, Fidelity Investments
- Monty Irvin, President and CEO, Ramey Kemp and Associates, Inc.
- Gray Styers, Attorney, Co-chair of Infrastructure Practice, Fox Rothschild LLP
- Kristen Hess, President and CEO, HH Architecture
- Brett Le Cheminant, Global Head of Cleared Derivatives, Credit Suisse
- John McGeary, Middle Market Commercial Mgr., SVP, First National Bank
- Lee Anne Nance, Chief Operations Officer, Executive Vice President, Stewart
- Mike Schoenfeld, VP Public Affairs and Government Relations, Duke University
(RTA 2021 chair; ex officio to task force)
We are again seeking to identify a stable financial footing for the airport, in what is now a volatile, changed, and lowered air travel environment. The RTA RDU AID task force 2.0 goal is to provide some new findings and recommendations by our RTA breakfast event later this summer.
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA Executive Director
RTA is the voice of the regional business community on transportation
