The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board has appointed Michael Landguth as the next airport director for Raleigh-Durham International (RDU). Landguth, who has served as the president and CEO of the Chattanooga Airport Authority for the past seven years, succeeds retiring director John Brantley.
Calling the position a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity, Landguth says he is eager to take on the much-larger market of Raleigh-Durham.
“RDU has a reputation throughout the aviation industry for being an efficient airport with a talented staff,” he says. “I look forward to working closely with them, as well as the economic development and business community to ensure we continue to meet the region’s air service needs.”
Landguth will join RDU on or before Dec. 1.
Landguth joined the Chattanooga Airport Authority in 1999 as its vice president of operations; he became president and CEO in 2004. During his time at the Chattanooga Airport Authority, Landguth secured more than $70M in grant funding for infrastructure development, secured three new airlines and eight new nonstop destinations, and launched a solar farm project that helped reduce the airport’s energy consumption.
“My 12 years at the Chattanooga Airport have been some of the most challenging, fulfilling and fun years of my life,” Landguth says. “A piece of my heart will always be in that city and with my team at the airport. But I’m excited about the new challenges ahead for me in North Carolina and I look forward to watching the Chattanooga Airport continue to grow and prosper right along with its community.”
Landguth says his key early priorities at RDU will be to formulate an expansion plan for the airport.
“This airport has the physical space and infrastructure in place to grow across almost very sector, whether commercial aviation, cargo or general aviation,” he says.
The state of the global economy will present a challenge going forward, Landguth adds, but says, “RDU has a remarkably strong leadership team with great experience in the industry. I look forward to joining them and working together to develop a vision for RDU’s future.”
