Gary Cyr, director of aviation for Springfield-Branson National Airport, announced today he is retiring from his post April 1 to take a job as airport manager for Greeley-Weld County Airport Authority in Greeley, Colo.
Before he joined Springfield-Branson National Airport, Cyr managed the Gunnison County Airport in Gunnison, Colo.
"The opportunity for us to relocate to Colorado is the main reason," the 59-year-old Cyr said, noting that he and his family had planned to move back to their home state after his retirement in five or six years. "This just moved up the time frame quite a bit.
"Opportunities to relocate back to Colorado are pretty minimal, to say the least."
Cyr said his current salary is approximately $115,000, and he will receive the city's standard retirement package upon leaving in April, 2 percent of the base salary for each year employed.
On March 24, Shawn Schroeder, Springfield-Branson National Airport assistant director, will become interim director of aviation. The search for a new director of aviation is expected to begin this spring.
Cyr's retirement announcement comes just days after he delivered the
State of the Airport address Feb. 9 at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce office.
In the address, Cyr said total passengers flying out of Springfield dropped 2 percent to 796,251 in 2010, compared to 811,771 in 2009. Flights dropped by 1 percent during the year.
Cyr said his retirement announcement had nothing to do with the State of the Airport address. He found out he had been selected for the Colorado position late on Feb. 10.
"Sometimes timing is something you just can't do anything about," he said.
Cyr joined the staff of the Springfield-Branson National Airport in 1995, and he has served as director of aviation since December 2004. His starting salary was $95,000, according to
Springfield Business Journal archives.
Prior to being promoted to his current position, he served as the airport's assistant director for about nine years.[[In-content Ad]]
