Albany International Airport Acting CEO says he's focused on the future

Leaders of the Albany International Airport say they’re focused on the future — including a $100 million renovation — after weeks of turmoil over the airport’s leadership.

Albany County Airport Authority General Counsel Peter Stuto was named Acting CEO this week following the ouster of CEO Phil Calderone.

Calderone’s future had been up in the air after the Times Union reported he was being pushed out to allow fourth-term County Executive Dan McCoy to take the role.

McCoy eventually said he wasn’t interested during the ensuing firestorm. Calderone is a former deputy county executive under McCoy. The board was originally allowing his five-year contract to expire December 1^st but has now fired him for cause. For his part, Stuto says he is focused on completing the renovation and improving passenger services.

“We want to assure the general public and workforce that they are in capable hands. We also want to ensure the traveling public that, they are going to have a unique and exciting experience as they travel through this facility. And number three, we want to ensure that the constriction projects which are very exciting and somewhat complicated are going to be done in a cost effective and timely manner.”

The Board says it will conduct a national search for a permanent replacement. At an introductory press conference at the airport Thursday, Stuto wouldn’t explicitly say whether he is interested in the role, only that he will stay in the position for as long as the board wants him there.

Former Albany International Airport CEO John O’Donnell will serve as Chief Operating Officer and oversee ongoing projects. He says he doesn’t yet have a timeline for completion on the airport’s major overhaul.

“We haven’t had the opportunity read through the documents, we have not had the opportunity to go and visit the construction, look at the budgets and look at the entire picture,” O’Donnell said.

Albany County Legislature chair Joanne Cunningham, a Democrat from Delmar, supports the Board’s appointments.

“I think it was clear from my conversation that they [the board] were frustrated by that deterioration and the lack of a trustful relationship,” Cunningham said. “So I think, from my standpoint, reading the statement, reading the summary, it makes sense that they would want to turn the page and start a new chapter and work with someone that they do feel they have a trustful collaborative relationship, and they can make sure that they continue their very good governance of the airport. And there's lots of important projects and operational issues and lots of work to be done, and the board clearly has a path forward.”

Minority Republicans on the county legislature accuse Democrats and McCoy of being complicit in Calderone’s firing. McCoy says he respects the board’s personnel decisions.