MANCHESTER, NH – Mayor Joyce Craig brought forward her nominee for Airport Director fr the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport during the July 17 Board of Aldermen meeting. Theodore “Ted” Kitchens currently serves as the General Manager at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, TX.
Below is the Mayor’s Nomination letter, as well as Kitchen’s resume and summary of relevant experience. Kitchen’s nomination will hold over until the next BOMA meeting on August 14, where his position will be voted on by the board.
Dear Honorable Board of Aldermen,
I am honored to nominate Theodore “Ted” Kitchens for the position of Airport Director for the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. Mr. Kitchens currently serves as General Manager at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and I am confident that he has the right managerial and leadership abilities to lead our airport into the future.
Mr. Kitchens has nearly 20 years of experience in the aviation industry, including positions at small-hub and large-hub airports that give him a unique skill set that will be beneficial to Manchester. He has a thorough understanding of airport operations and has a demonstrated ability to be the creative and analytical leader our airport and city needs.
As you will see in his resume, Mr. Kitchens has not only excelled at the day-to-day responsibilities he has been assigned, but he’s also been able to focus on larger and more strategic priorities. Mr. Kitchens has ably dealt with large-scale events in his role in Houston, including the response to Hurricane Harvey in 2016 and the logistical challenges of a Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, and World Series.
When Director Brewer retired, I committed to conducting a national search in order to look at all options in finding the best possible candidate to lead our airport. I am happy to report that there was a high level of interest in the position, which is a testament to the positive reputation of our airport and our city.
After working with our search firm, ADK Executive Search & Consulting, to vet all the candidates who applied, I convened a committee to interview the finalists for the position. The interview committee, consisting of Patrick Duffy, Liz Hitchcock, Dave Allen, Connie Roy-Czyzowski, and Londonderry Council Chair John Farrell, along with myself, unanimously agreed that Mr. Kitchens was the right choice for the position.
Mr. Kitchens was particularly impressive when discussing his assessment of and approach to air service and his commitment to engaging with the community in order to best serve the people of Manchester. It’s clear he understands the challenges our airport faces, but also recognizes its strengths.
I am incredibly proud of the work that the men and women of the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport do every day and I’m confident that with Mr. Kitchens as Airport Director, our airport will continue to build on its successes and creatively overcome any challenge it may face.
Pursuant to Rule 20 of the Board, this nomination will layover until the next meeting of the Board on Tuesday, August 14, 2018. In order to facilitate the confirmation process, Mr. Kitchens will be travelling to Manchester to be available for in-person meetings with Aldermen. As he is still working out travel arrangements, I will inform the Board when Mr. Kitchens will be arriving in Manchester as soon as the arrangements are made. In the meantime, Mr. Kitchens will be available by phone and is eager to share his vision with you.
If confirmed, Mr. Kitchens will assume the role of Airport Director on October 1, 2018 and his starting salary will be Grade 36, Step 10 ($203,512.68).
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Joyce Craig
Mayor
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