Panel members provide depth of experience

Six of the seven members of the Wayne County Airport Authority have been chosen by Wayne County Executive Edward MaNamara and Gov. John Engler, and for those in the know about Michigan business and politics, the names should all sound familiar - as expected.

McNamara's four picks were Wayne Doran, former chairman of Ford Motor Land Development Corp.; Michael Glusac, a senior advisor and past president of Detroit Renaissance; Kenneth Hollowell, former secretary/treasurer and business representative for Teamsters Local 247; and Vernice Anthony, senior vice president for corporate affairs and community health at St. John Health System.

Engler's choices are William McCormick Jr., chairman of the board and chief executive officer of CMS Energy Corp., and James Nicholson, president and chief executive officer and principal shareholder of PVS Chemicals Inc.

These six members, plus one from the Wayne County Commission will oversee operations at Detroit Metro Airport and Willow Run Airport. The Commission, which has questioned the validity of the new panel and pledged to mount a court challenge to its creation, has not appointed anyone to fill its one seat.

With the naming of the six board members, though, the panel is prepared to begin overseeing the airport, pending approval of the Federal Aviation Administration.

"Metro Airport has grown at an amazing pace in the last decade, but the operations and government structure hadn't changed," airport spokesman Len Singer said. "Just as we have outgrown our facilities in the last 10 years, you could also say we outgrew our governance structure. Going forward, we need to operate more like a business, unencumbered by much of the bureaucracy associated with the government. This structure is very similar to other growing and successful airports around the country."

Changes in management or operational structure are not expected immediately, although the board does have to power to install a new management team. Lester Robinson, airport director, has decades of service at the airport. He returned to the airport two years ago from the private sector at the request of McNamara, replacing David Katz as director.

It appears the new committee will provide continuity at the airport, effectively stopping the practice of political appointees in upper management at the airport. The committee, with its staggered terms, will not only provide some continuity and non-politicization at the airport, but appointees won't have to be swept out every time there is a new county executive.

"We have worked hard to make sure we have proven leaders on this board," McNamara said. "We know that having a world-class airport translates into jobs and economic vitality for this region. These individuals along with the three other members (Engler and commission choices) will give the airport the leadership and direction to function as a business does and become the competitive powerhouse for this region and this state."

Senate Bill 690, signed by Engler March 26, established the Wayne County Airport Authority. Before the Airport Authority can become fully operational, the Federal Aviation Administration must approve the change. The FAA is expected to take action in the next few weeks. The independent authority will manage Detroit Metropolitan Airport and Willow Run Airport. Both airports will remain Wayne County facilities.

The authority will be similar to corporate boards of directors and management structures at other airports. It will employ strong ethical standards, establish standards for competitive bidding of contracts and include multiple layers of financial and performance auditing. The authority will include an audit committee with the authority to order audits of any and all airport activities.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MEMBERS:

Wayne Doran is former chairman of Ford Motor Land Development Corp, and has more than 30 years experience in both strategic and operational aspects of real estate development. Doran is credited with developing Fairlane, a 2,300-acre planned residential and commercial community in Dearborn. He is also a trustee for the Urban Land Institute and the National Realty Committee. Doran, a resident of Dearborn, is appointed to a six-year term.

Michael Glusac is a senior advisor and past president of Detroit Renaissance and has a long history in working with local governments. While vice president of government affairs for the Chrysler Corp., Glusac was responsible for community relations and analysis of state and local government issues. He worked with all levels of government to develop the Chrysler World Headquarters in Auburn Hills and the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. In addition, Glusac, an attorney, also helped create the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. He served as executive director of SEMCOG and as president of the Michigan Municipal League. Glusac's appointment is for a six-year term. He resides in Grosse Pointe Farms.

Vernice D. Anthony currently is senior vice president for corporate affairs and community health at St. John Health System. Her career in the health care and public health field has included executive positions at the state and local level including stints as director of Wayne County's Health Department and positions with the City of Detroit Health Department. Anthony lives in Detroit and is appointed to a four-year term.

Kenneth Hollowell is a longtime leader in the labor community. He is the former secretary/treasurer and business representative for Teamsters Local 247. He serves on numerous boards, including United Way Community Services, New Detroit, Detroit Urban League and Detroit Youth Sports Commission. Hollowell, of Detroit, has been named to a two-year term.

William T. McCormick, Jr., of Grosse Pointe Farms, is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of CMS Energy Corp., as well as chairman of its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility and America's fourth largest combination gas and electric utility. Prior to joining the company in 1985, McCormick served as chairman and chief executive officer of American Natural Resources Co. (ANR) and executive vice president and director of its parent company, the Coastal Corp. McCormick serves on numerous professional and community boards, including Bank One Corp., the U.S. Secretary of Energy's Electric Advisory Board, St. John's Health System, and the Michigan Business Roundtable. McCormick is appointed to a six-year term.

James B. Nicholson, of Grosse Pointe Farms, is president and chief executive officer and principal shareholder of PVS Chemicals, Inc., an international manufacturer and marketer of water treatment and other chemical products. Before joining PVS in 1972, Nicholson held positions at the First National Bank of Chicago offices in London and Dublin. Active in numerous civic organizations Nicholson has served on the Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority, the council of the graduate school of business at the University of Chicago, and is affiliated with the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit and the United Way Community. Nicholson is appointed to an eight-year term.

The yet-unnamed County Commission appointee will serve a four-year term.

Metro's fast-paced growth over the last decade - which most recently resulted in the opening of the new $1.2 billion McNamara Terminal/Northwest WorldGateway - is seen as a key reason why the airport needs a new operation and government structure. Photo by Doug Ashley

Wayne County Executive Edward McNamara (left) and Gov. John Engler hold the bill Engler signed in late March to create the new airport authority. Photo by John Simon

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