Jan. 14—The Pryor Field Airport Authority has named Adam Fox as airport manager to replace Adam Foutz, who is leaving at the end of February to become assistant director of the Auburn University Regional Airport.
Fox currently serves as the director of the El Reno Regional Airport in El Reno, Oklahoma. Pryor Field board chairman Nathan Fowler said Fox will have an $80,000 contract.
Fowler said Fox will begin working with Foutz at Pryor Field in mid-February to assure a smooth transition of duties.
" Mr. Fox is a military veteran who comes to us with a lot of experience," Fowler said. "We're excited about having somebody with his knowledge and experience to join us."
According to a news release from the board, Fox has worked at two state aeronautical agencies, the Aeronautics Bureau within the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission.
He graduated from Auburn with a degree in business administration with a focus in aviation management.
"I'm excited to start the next chapter of my career at the Pryor Field Regional Airport and work alongside the staff to help the airport and the Tennessee Valley continue to grow," Fox said in the news release.
Meanwhile, Foutz said he is returning to the Auburn University Regional Airport as its assistant director on March 1. He worked there as a student and after his graduation in 2014. He joined Pryor Field in July 2019.
"I'll be focused on day-to-day operations of the fixed-based operator, handling hospitality and helping with overall capital improvement projects and long-term planning," he said. He said Auburn has more than 20 airport employees and two runways.
Foutz said Pryor has four employees but he expects that number to increase in coming months.
"Here at Pryor, we've done a complete 180 from two or three years ago," he said, from when the airport was run by a private fixed-base operator. "Traffic continues to increase. Pryor is really a gem, and the growth we've seen is really exponential."
He said the industrial growth from corporations such as Mazda Toyota Manufacturing and Polaris in Limestone County has boosted activity at the fixed-base operator airport. He said the airport handles private aviation and services.
"Jet fuel flow wise, we were doing 110,000 to 140,000 gallons a year," he said. "Last year, we did 170,000 gallons. Previously, the airport had never done 20,000 gallons a month. Now we've done that twice in the past 15 months."
He added several aeronautical firms are interested in setting up businesses at Pryor.
Pryor Field has one 6,100-foot-long runway and the board plans to improve its north corporate hangar facilities and services, according to Fowler.
Pryor Field Regional Airport board member Bryan Johnstone said Foutz has been "a tremendous asset to Pryor Field and the board."
"We're going to hate to see him go," Johnstone said.
Bill Hutto, Auburn University Regional Airport director, said he is pleased that Foutz has decided to return.
"He was a great employee with us, and he has built a fantastic resume," Hutto said. "We're really fortunate to get him back."
Foutz said his wife is from the Auburn area, and they have a young child.
" Auburn is a special place to us," Foutz said. "There are not many opportunities I would have left (Pryor) for. Auburn is closer to her family, and it is the right time for us to make the move."
— [email protected] or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.
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