Tucson Airport Authority Names New Board Chair, Members
Keri Silvyn, partner of Lazarus & Silvyn, P.C., officially began her first year as Chair of the Tucson Airport Authority board of directors on Jan. 23. Also in the first meeting of 2022, the board welcomed its newest directors, Fran Katz, Rhonda Piña and Calline Sanchez, who were elected at the TAA annual meeting preceding the board meeting.
“I am honored to serve as the board chair for the Tucson Airport Authority especially among such a professional and diverse board of directors,” Silvyn said. “The TAA has an extraordinary team of airport management professionals who support Tucson International Airport and Ryan Airfield. It is going to be an exciting year as we celebrate the TAA’s 75 years of nonstop commitment to our community.”
Additionally, elected as officers of the board for 2023 are Vice Chair Mike Hammond, founder and principal of Cushman & Wakefield/PICOR Commercial Real Estate Services; Secretary Phil Swaim, president of Swaim Associates Ltd.; and Treasurer Vance Falbaum, managing director and financial advisor for Falbaum Investment Group at RBC Wealth Management.
Hammond and Swaim were also elected to a second three-year term as board members.
Katz is chief development officer for the Tucson Jewish Community Center. She has been an active member of the TAA for 16 years.
Piña currently serves as Pima County’s deputy director for Workforce Development; she joined the TAA in 2022.
Sanchez joined the TAA in 2020 and is the VP of TSS Global Offerings and Service Planning for IBM and serves as the Arizona and New Mexico State Executive.
This impressive group joins other directors Sally Fernandez, president of Safety Dynamics, Inc.; Todd Jackson, partner of Oden & Jackson, P.C.; Judy Rich, president and CEO of TMC HealthCare System.
Bruce Dusenberry, board chair from 2021-22 will remain a voting member of the board as Director/Immediate Past Chair. Leaving the board this year is Rob Draper, president and dealer principal of O’Rielly Motor Co. and O’Rielly Chevrolet, who served six years on the board in various positions.
“The TAA is fortunate to have such an experienced and diverse group of community leaders on the board, and who are focused on the success of the airport,” said Danette Bewley, TAA president and CEO.
The TAA board of directors is the governing body for the TAA, a unique non-profit independent of local government that is responsible for the operation of Tucson International Airport and Ryan Airfield.
At least seven, but no more than 11, active TAA members are elected annually to serve on the board of directors. Following changes made in 2021 to bylaws, board members are elected to terms of up to three years and can be re-elected to serve up to 10 years.
TAA members do not receive salaries or compensation for their roles.
