Frank J. Vala Unanimously Re-elected Chair of Springfield Airport Authority

7/23/2021

Springfield, Illinois -- At the Springfield Airport Authority’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Commissioners held Tuesday, July 20th, Frank J. Vala was unanimously re-elected Chair by acclamation for the 15th year to the Springfield Airport Authority Board of Commissioners. Frank J. Vala also nominated fellow board member, Commissioner Mike Houston, to be the Vice-Chair of the Authority’s Board of Commissioners. Houston was elected by unanimous acclamation of those Commissioners present at the meeting.

This comes after last year’s 3-3 tie vote for Board Chair, where Vala retained the position. The tie vote in 2020 was a result of Mayor Langfelder’s unsuccessful attempt to unseat Vala through his board appointments who are to operate independently of their appointing authorities.  Vala commented, “Despite all the interference and misleading information from Langfelder, I reached out to the board members for unity and to reaffirm our intentions to move forward in a positive manner to accomplish what is best for the airport and community as a whole.”

Chair Vala also noted to the Board that it had received its eighteenth (18th) consecutive Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for its Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2020.  Vala stated, “We continue our long tradition of professionalism, budgetary discipline and transparency.  I join the Board of Commissioners in their compliments to the team of professionals who contributed to this achievement.”  Chair Vala concluded by noting the Board also passed its fiscal year 2022 budget and tax levy ordinances, reviewed annual grant approval provisions, confirmed certain fiduciary responsibilities, and approved transfers of surplus funds to reserve funds; all receiving unanimous votes of those Board members present.

R. Beverly Peters was re-elected as Board Secretary as was Mark Kinnaman as Board Treasurer, both by unanimous acclamation of those Board members present.

Members of the Springfield Airport Board of Commissioners include: Frank J. Vala, J. Michael Houston, Dianne Barghouti-Hardwick, Elizabeth Delheimer, Dr. Susan R. Shea, Teresa Haley and Tim Franke.

ABOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN CAPITAL AIRPORT

Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport was named the 2010 Primary Airport of the Year by the Illinois Department of Transportation. In 2012 IDOT released an Economic Impact study indicating Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport generates $563.6 million in total economic output annually for the local economy impacting 4,797 jobs. The airport has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the past 18 consecutive years. The airport is home to many major tenants, which include the Illinois Air National Guard’s 183rd Wing, IDOT’s Division of Aeronautics, Lincoln Land Community College’s LRS Aviation Maintenance Training Center, StandardAero and Stellar Aviation. The airport’s main passenger terminal is also home to numerous car rental companies, Subway™ Sandwich Shop, the Passenger Service Center and Sky Club, a membership-based club offering additional amenities to frequent travelers.  Commercial passenger air service offerings feature daily service to Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX on American Airlines, to Chicago, IL on United Airlines and to Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda, FL on Allegiant.  More information, including a complete listing of arrivals and departures, can be found online at www.FlySPI.com or by calling the Passenger Service Center at 217-788-9200.

Back to All News