Retired Marine and former Montgomery Regional Airport administrator returns home with plans to expand aviation training, strengthen infrastructure and position the Selma airport for economic growth
The authority's Board of Directors formally introduced Thomas during a September news conference following a nationwide search that drew 23 applicants. Thomas began work Sept. 21.
Thomas returns to his hometown after five years at Montgomery Regional Airport, where his work included airport administration, contract and financial oversight, lease management, procurement, capital development projects, airline coordination, regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement.
His appointment marks a homecoming for the Selma High School graduate, whose career has also included communications, broadcasting and business development. Thomas served in the U.S. Marine Corps before retiring in 2005 and is a graduate of the University of Maryland.
Thomas said his goal is to build on Craig Field's existing assets while expanding opportunities tied to aviation, workforce development and economic growth.
“I get a chance to actually do something positive for the city, and help Craig Field reach its full potential because it’s always had potential,” Thomas said during an interview with WAKA. “And so, I want to see if I can come in and revitalize that.”
Aviation workforce development at center of growth strategy
A major part of that effort will center on aviation education and workforce development.
Craig Field already supports training pathways in air traffic control, aviation maintenance and pilot training, providing the foundation for Thomas' plans to strengthen the airport's position as an aviation workforce hub.
Advanced ATC operates its Control Tower Operator Partnership Program at Craig Field. The accelerated program combines classroom instruction and simulator training as part of a pathway toward employment with federal contract tower operators.
Craig Field is also part of the Rural Aviation Consortium, an initiative involving Wallace Community College Selma that was established to expand aviation career pathways in the Black Belt, including pilot training, air traffic control, avionics and aircraft maintenance.
Thomas has identified those programs as opportunities for further growth.
Local reporting following his appointment said Thomas intends to focus on strengthening the air traffic control and aviation mechanics programs while examining improvements to dormitories, classrooms and other infrastructure supporting aviation education.
From Selma to Montgomery — and back home
Thomas' return also carries personal significance.
A Selma native and Selma High School graduate, he spent years building experience outside the city before returning to lead one of the community's largest aviation and industrial assets.
Before joining Craig Field, Thomas worked at Montgomery Regional Airport, gaining experience in areas ranging from commercial development and contract procurement to administrative support.
Craig Field's official leadership announcement said Thomas' responsibilities as executive director span airport operations, aviation and industrial development, property and lease management, infrastructure and capital improvements, economic development and strategic partnerships.
Thomas is also active in professional organizations including the American Association of Airport Executives, the Economic Development Association of Alabama and the Alabama City/County Management Association.
Craig Field positioned as aviation and industrial asset
Thomas takes over an airport with infrastructure that gives it potential beyond traditional general aviation.
Craig Field has an approximately 8,000-foot runway, hangar facilities, rail access and highway connections. The authority markets the property as both an aviation facility and an industrial complex capable of supporting business development and logistics operations.
The airport's aviation-training infrastructure has also expanded in recent years.
Advanced ATC operates in Selma, while aviation initiatives involving Wallace Community College Selma and other partners are designed to connect students with careers in air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, avionics and piloting.
Those assets give Thomas a foundation for a broader strategy aimed at connecting aviation with workforce and industrial development.
“There’s a lot of opportunity here,” Thomas said in remarks reported by the Black Belt News Network.
For Thomas, however, the new assignment is also about returning to the community where his own career began.
His challenge now is to translate Craig Field's aviation infrastructure, training partnerships and available industrial assets into sustained development for Selma and Dallas County.
And his stated objective is straightforward: strengthen what Craig Field already has, pursue new opportunities and help the historic airfield reach more of the potential he remembers seeing while growing up in Selma.
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-- By Masakela P. Rawls
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