WESTFIELD–Eric Billowitz will have his hands full with a lot of tasks and information as the new manager of Barnes Regional Airport, but before all that comes another concern–coffee.
“Right now I’m worried about how to make a cup of coffee and how the phones work,” Billowitz said. “There’s a ramp-up period to the position.”
Indeed, the position of airport manager is a difficult one–even with knowing how to make a proper cup of coffee and how the phones work–but Billowitz and others feel that he is ready for the job. He comes into the position with over two decades of experience in aviation management and high expectations from several city officials, including the Barnes Airport Commission. Among those experiences were new business deals for airports he worked for and successfully acquiring a $40 million grant for another.
Eric Billowitz, Barnes Regional Airport manager
The commission chose Billowitz after their initial choice–Marcelo Lima, of Birmingham–chose not to take the position. Billowitz was also considered for the position during the screening process, but he had to cancel his interview with the city due to the aforementioned $40 million grant he was attempting to wrangle in Rochester, New York, at the time, thus taking him out of contention for the position.
However, Lima’s declination of the position allowed Billowitz to interview for the position later, and the commission felt this was beneficial for the airport.
“It was a positive surprise because he wasn’t in the original round but he is a great choice for the city,” commission member William Gonet, said after Billowitz was first hired.
For Billowitz, the position comes with many tasks, all of which he is excited to begin. However, one large desire of his is to turn the airport into a place where businesses can thrive and the terminal can become a more bustling and busy place than it appears to be these days.
“I would like to see more activity on the airport,” Billowitz said. “Obviously it’s a desire.”
Billowitz said that this could be done through any number of ways. He suggested increasing people’s interests in general aviation, including recreational flying, as well as possibly bringing in an airline company to offer limited flights from the area.
Additionally, Billowitz will be sure to protect the businesses–also known as fixed-based operations (FBOs)–that are currently at the airport because those are what truly drive the airport’s economy.
“We have to protect those FBOs. Without a doubt you want competitions but that’s between FBOs,” he said. “Your base tenant is your base revenue.”
Billowitz said that the FBOs are critical to an airport because of the revenue they can generate from fuel sales.
“I learned that early on in my career,” he said. “I asked one of [the FBOs] what drives them and he said ‘it’s all about fuel’.”
Billowitz’s concerns aren’t just for business revenue, however. Although he is still learning the position and the goings on of the city, he said that he would be sure to properly investigate the concerns of residents and city officials and will be involved, particularly the environment.
And while Billowitz said that he has to further study the concerns regarding the airport–from Barnes Aquifer contamination to noise mitigation–he will be certain to be knowledgeable and address the concerns when needed.
“When you walk into the door everyone wants to give you their version of what’s going on but the environment, to me, is a valid concern in any airport facility,” he said.
However, before all that begins, Billowitz will need to learn how to make a proper cup of coffee. And if his background is any clue, he will probably learn how to pretty quickly.
