The Ohio Aviation Association (OAA) has named the Ohio State University Airport Director Doug Hammon as 2018 Airport Manager of the Year.  The award recognizes Doug’s “many contributions to the airport industry, continuous support of OAA’s mission and goals, support of fellow airports through the communication and exchange of ideas, as well as the growth and development of the Ohio aviation industry.”

Doug has served as the director of the Ohio State University Airport since 1999. Previously, Doug was director of the Butler County Airport and was an airport planner for the Ohio Department of Transportation in the early 1990s. He has lectured for Ohio State’s Center for Aviation Studies and Knowlton School of Architecture for over 15 years. A past president of OAA, Hammon continues to serve as an at-large board member. He is a certified member of the American Association of Airport Executives.

Pictured from left are Stacey Heaton, OAA executive director, Doug Hammon, Ohio State Airport director, and Tory Richardson, OAA presidentDoug has served the Ohio aviation community in numerous ways. In his role as airport director for one of the busiest airports in Ohio, Doug has led by example, running an airport in business-like fashion, promoting the use of aviation, supporting the flying community and maximizing the economic impact of his facility. Doug and his staff have run the FBO for many years, establishing a profitable operation that provides excellent customer service and serving as an economic benefit generator for the university and the area. Doug has served as a mentor to numerous young aviation professionals and has served as a ready resource for many other airports that sought out his experience or knowledge about leases, contracts, fueling, etc. Doug has led the Ohio State Airport through difficult seasons with neighbors, yet building strong working relationship that has enabled the airport to pursue a needed and aggressive development program.

Doug has engaged thousands of K-12 school-aged children at the Ohio State Airport, sparking the love of aviation for many. Doug has served all of Ohio aviation through his leadership at OAA, his continued willingness to serve in whatever ways he can, and he has been a ready and able messenger for all OAA members, who have learned to tell the story of aviation and its impact to all Ohioans.