The man who helped recruit new airline service at one local airport has moved on to run another one not that far away.
Eric B. McKitish, 54, of Pittston, started Tuesday as executive director of the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville, a day after ending his run as the director of marketing, communications and air service development at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Pittston Twp.
In an interview Thursday, Williamsport Municipal Airport Authority Chairman Frank G. Pellegrino highlighted McKitish’s track record at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He hopes McKitish's knowledge of the airline industry translates to more flights.
“He came highly recommended, but he went through a panel process, and he passed with flying colors,” Pellegrino said. “His 30-plus years of experience is exactly what we're looking for.”
In a statement, Pellegrino said McKitish fit with four “critical leadership competencies” the airport sought: "strategic agility, business acumen, vision and mission-driven orientation."
McKitish said he was pleased and honored to get the job. After 36 years at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - the last 25 in his final position - he fulfilled a longtime hope to manage an airport. The Williamsport airport has fewer flights than Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and only one commercial airline, but McKitish hopes to change that.
"There's a half a million people out here in this nine-county area," he said. "And we are hoping to expand on that, at least with the air service, and hopefully get more in here for the people central Pennsylvania ... This is one of the largest economic generators in the region. So it's just (my goal) to rebuild the airport."
Richard C. Howell, McKitish’s predecessor, who was scheduled to retire Thursday, led the Williamsport airport through tough times.
The Williamsport airport lost its only commercial airline when American Airlines ended service to Charlotte, North Carolina, in October 2020 as COVID-19 sharply cut travel.
The airport regained commercial flights in May when Southern Airways began offering twice-daily flights to Washington, D.C., and Pellegrino said Southern would soon add a third daily flight.
Williamsport also hired Ahmad Nawaz as senior airport manager.
In a statement, Pellegrino said McKitish and Nawaz were hired after a nationwide search that included candidates from as far away as Utah, Colorado and Vancouver.
"Eric and Ahmad are the best choices from a deep pool of interested and highly qualified candidates,” Pellegrino said in the statement.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Executive Director Carl Beardsley Jr. said McKitish helped the airport what it is today.
“He's been a mainstay in the airport, mainstay in the community, and he's done some great things for a long time here,” Beardsley said. “He did a good job with marketing. He did stuff with air service development and all to the betterment of what we have here today.”
Nawaz, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, has a master’s degree in aviation management from City University of New York’s York Campus, is leaving a job at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York.
He previously worked as senior operations coordinator and supervisor for Avports, an airport operations and management company. He also served as assistant safety and fire chief, operations coordinator for Emirates Airlines at John F. Kennedy Airport, Queens, New York, and in project management at major construction management companies.
