Parks named permanent Columbia Regional Airport manager

Columbia Regional Airport has a permanent airport manager.

Mike Parks officially accepted the job this week after serving in an interim capacity following the abrupt departure of Tamara Pitts in November.

Parks was previously the operations supervisor at the airport.

Director of economic development Stacey Button told ABC 17 News that Parks’ promotion to acting manager was a good way for him to learn and grow within the airport.

After Pitts’ departure, Button said that airport officials hadn’t posted the job right away because city policy allowed them to promote from within.

Airport officials actually had up to six months to evaluate whether or not to offer Parks the job permanently.

In Wednesday’s regional economic development meeting, airport advisory board liaison Matt Jenne said Parks was a great candidate because he’s “somebody that’s passionate about (Columbia Regional Airport). Not just airports, but our airport.”

Parks isn’t available this week for comment on the new position, but ABC 17 News will be contacting him next week for his reaction to the promotion.