The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport Board named Heather McBride as interim airport manager following the resignation of Dean Selby.
Selby said he accepted a chief officer position at a commercial service airport after receiving an unexpected call. Selby said the new role is out of state and represents an opportunity for professional growth that he felt he had to accept for personal reasons.
“It’s bittersweet,” Selby said. “I mean we’ve done a lot of work here at this airport, we’ve done a lot, I think we’ve moved this airport forward. I know you may disagree from time to time, and there’s things that I’ve done that I would probably say I didn’t think we should’ve done, but I think we have moved in the right direction, we have really stepped it up.”
Board Member Bill Austin said Selby has been the best manager in the airport’s history and will be difficult to replace. Austin said Selby maintained the facility effectively despite frequently disagreeing with board members on specific issues.
“He and I butt heads a lot, but he is, without question, been the best airport manager we’ve ever had, and we’re sure going to miss him,” Austin said. “And I don’t know, I have no idea who we’ll get to replace him, but he’s leaving some mighty big shoes to fill.”
The board approved a motion to appoint McBride to the interim role for a minimum of six months. Selby said McBride has developed the necessary relationships with the FAA, the state of Tennessee and engineering firms to handle the operational side of the airport. Selby said he will remain available in the meantime to assist with the transition.
“I have all the faith in the world that she can do this, and I know she has some terrific support,” Selby said.
The board set McBride’s interim salary at $75,000 per year, which represents a midpoint between her current assistant director salary and Selby’s outgoing salary of $95,000. Board Secretary and Treasurer Chad Marcum said the salary increase is covered by the surplus created by Selby’s departure and manageable under the current budget.
“We did the range I think and so there’s an overlap there, so, I mean we could go to $70,000 probably and be completely fine without any type of… and then $75,000 I think we’d be fine at that too,” Marcum said. “I don’t know anything over that, especially if we’re paying out Dean.”
The leadership change comes as the airport faces significant pushback from tenants regarding a recent 75 percent increase in hangar rents. Selby said his decision to step down was already in the works and unrelated to the recent rent spikes.
Selby’s final day at the airport will be July 31.
