Huffman recently served as airport manager for Grimes Municipal Airport in Urbana. During his stint there, the airport saw its strongest financial performance to date.
“Drake’s experience managing airport operations and FAA grants, along with his prior military experience, makes him well positioned to guide the continued advancement of Springfield–Beckley Municipal Airport,” said Tom Franzen, Assistant City Manager and Economic Development Director for the City of Springfield. “The airport is an important economic driver for our community, and we are excited to welcome Drake as he builds on the momentum already underway.”
Before serving as airport manager in Urbana, Huffman was an operations supervisor with the Allegheny County Airport Authority in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has a Bachelor of Science in aviation management from Ohio University with minors in communication studies and business administration. He has a private pilot certificate and served six years in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard.
Huffman is a member of the St. Paris Village Council. He is a Zanesville native and lives in the area with his wife and two sons, according to the release.
“I’m truly grateful to serve a region that I call home. Springfield-Beckley is at the forefront of aviation innovation and I look forward to working with our partners to drive continued economic opportunity for our community,” Huffman said.
The Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport is home to the Ohio Air National Guard bases, two maintenance repair stations, Select-Tech Geo-Spatial and Airpark Ohio. It also hosts the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence (NAAMCE), which supports the research, development and testing of electric vertical takeoff/landing (eVTOL) aircraft and other vehicles used in the advanced air mobility industry.
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