April 21, 2005

City manager names new aviation director

Following a nationwide search, San Jose City Manager Del D. Borgsdorf has announced the appointment of William Sherry as the city’s new aviation director.

William Sherry

The appointment was confirmed by the San Jose City Council during its executive session last week.

Sherry brings 15 years of experience directing aviation operations in Florida, including Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport where he had oversight and responsibility for a $4.2 billion airport expansion.

“Bill’s track record of overseeing a major airport expansion while keeping the cost per passenger down, along with his experience working closely with both the airline industry and airport neighbors, make him the ideal aviation director,” Borgsdorf said in announcing the appointment. “I’m confident he will provide the strong leadership necessary to maintain the airport’s role in supporting our regional economy.”

Sherry’s appointment followed a national recruitment effort that attracted some 100 candidates from across the country. Finalists were interviewed by two panels whose members included representatives from the local business community, nearby neighborhoods and executives from the aviation industry as well as from other airports.

Under Sherry’s leadership at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), a capital expansion program costing roughly $750 million was completed on time and on budget, while maintaining an above-average J.D.

Power & Associates customer service ranking. FLL, which competes with Miami-Dade, is a large-hub airport handling 20 million passengers a year with an annual operating budget of $140 million and a capital development budget of $4.2 billion.

Prior to his tenure at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, Sherry was director of aviation for the state of Florida, where he was charged with directing aviation policy and procedures, interacting with Congress, the Florida Legislature, and the Federal Aviation Administra-tion.

Sherry’s aviation experience also includes eight years as the airport director for the Vero Beach Municipal Airport, Florida’s busiest general aviation airport, as well as experience as a commercial pilot and flight instructor. From 1982-85, Sherry was also a senior accountant for Arthur Anderson & Company.

“I am looking forward to coming to San Jose and getting involved with the community,” Sherry said. “From my discussions, I know the city of San José wants to grow its airport. Doing that in a community-friendly and compatible way is every bit as important as managing costs and maintaining customer service. I’m looking forward to leading that effort.”

Sherry, who has earned his Accredited Airport Executive credentials from the American Association of Airport Executives, has a history of building good relationships with airline executives and identifying new revenue opportunities to help keep costs per passenger low.

Sherry has also earned significant recognition during his career. In 1997, the Florida Department of Transportation named Sherry Aviation Professional of the Year and in 2000, he was named Air Carrier Manager of the Year by the FAA. Sherry has been President of the Florida Airports Council (FAC) and served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Airport Council International-North America.

Since November 2003, Sherry has been consulting with airport authorities in the southeast region of the country providing legal expertise. Sherry will start in his new position May 2.

Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) is a completely self-supporting enterprise, owned and operated by the city of San Jose. The airport averages nearly 384 commercial and 156 general aviation departures and landings daily. In 2003-04, 10.7 million passengers flew through SJC.