Bill Wyatt, who spent 17 years as CEO of the Port of Portland, has been selected by Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski as her choice to be the next executive director of the Salt Lake City Department of Airports.
Wyatt spent 17 years overseeing the logistics of day-to-day operations at the Port of Portland. He handled $2 billion in capital construction projects, managed a $330 million annual operating budget, developed a workforce of 800 employees and maintained relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, from the Transportation Security Administration to community partners.
If confirmed, he would arrive at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) as the airport is undergoing a $3 billion redevelopment program that is addressing operational needs, seismic and security standards and facility modernization. Its current facilities are more than a half-century old. The redevelopment will be completed in phases, with the last of it slated for 2024.
Wyatt’s nomination is subject to the advice and consent of the Salt Lake City Council.
“As the Salt Lake International Airport undergoes the largest construction expansion in its history, it is critical that we have an individual at the table with extensive management and logistics experience,” says Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski. “I am confident that Bill’s expertise and knowledge will lead us well as we enter into an exciting new chapter of operations.”
In addition to SLC, the Department of Airports oversees South Valley Regional and Tooele Valley airports. The department has more than 500 employees, 1,000 contracts and an annual budget of $367 million.
“I have great appreciation for the enormous value airports serve in our communities,” Wyatt says. “I’m drawn by virtue to the ambitious opportunity in Salt Lake City and I’m eager to join the team and get to work.”
In addition to his time at the Port of Portland, Wyatt has worked as chief of staff to Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, as president of the Oregon Business Council and as executive director of the Association for Portland Progress. He is currently director of the Oregon Business Council and a board member to the Oregon Historical Society and Columbia River Maritime Museum.
If confirmed, Wyatt will replace Maureen Riley, who retired at the end of June after running SLC for a decade. Russell Pack, who was involved at SLC in various roles from 1983 to 2014 before his retirement, has been serving as interim director. He served in the same role prior to Riley’s appointment in 2007.
