MEMORANDUM

TO:

Commissioners

FROM:

Blue Ribbon Panel Members:

PUBLIC MEMO

Dan Boivin, Metropolitan Airports Commission Chair; Bonnie

Carlson, President and CEO of the Bloomington Convention &
Visitors Bureau; Archie Givens, President and CEO of Legacy
Management and Development Corporation; Ann Mulholland, Vice
President of Community Impact for Minnesota Philanthropy
Partners; Charles Zelle, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department
of Transportation
DATE:

February 23, 2016

SUBJECT:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

FINALISTS

This Blue Ribbon Panel was tasked with choosing the finalists who will be considered by
the Executive Committee of the Metropolitan Airports Commission for the position of
Executive Director/CEO which has become available due to Jeff Hamiels impending
retirement.
To accomplish this important task the Blue Ribbon panel worked closely with the
executive recruitment firm of SpencerStuart and its principal recruiter for this hire,
Michael Bell. The Blue Ribbon Panel spent many hours meeting over four separate days
to complete its task. The panel began its deliberations with a meeting to become more
familiar with the MAC and the candidate specification that was developed by
SpencerStuart who had sought input from numerous community and airport stakeholders
including Commissioners, local political leaders, union leaders, Noise Oversight
Committee members, concessionaires, airline representatives, MAC staff members, Meet
MSP, MSP FairSkies Coalition, Greater MSP and others.
After that initial meeting the panel reviewed the applicant profiles and resumes of ten
select candidates who had been recruited to interview for the position. On January 25th
and January 26th the panel met and interviewed nine of those candidates (the 10th had
withdrawn herself from the process just prior to the interviews). Following the
interviews, the panel spent several hours discussing the candidates and their
qualifications. The panel felt that while the pool of candidates was very strong, the fact
that this is such a critical hire coupled with a concern for the lack of diversity in the pool
justified having SpencerStuart redouble their recruitment efforts to assure the best
possible candidates were considered.

Spencer Stuart spent the next three weeks continuing the search. Dozens of candidates
were contacted or re-contacted with an eye focused on recruiting diversity. Despite these
additional efforts it became clear that there were no additional qualified candidates that
would be willing to interview for the position.
The panel believes that a primary underlying factor limiting MACs ability to recruit
diverse candidates is the level of pay that could be offered. While the recent change to
the salary cap has certainly made the position more attractive, the position is still paid
below what many large and medium hub airports pay.
For example, the base salaries for many large hub airports in North America remain
above the high end of the new allowable range for the MAC role, including BaltimoreWashington, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Montreal, Orlando, Salt
Lake City, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, D.C.
Of even greater concern is that the base salaries of many medium hub airports across
North America, from which the MAC would logically be recruiting for its Executive
Director role, also pay base salaries above the high end of the new allowable range,
including Calgary, Columbus, Edmonton, Halifax, Hartford, Pittsburgh, Tampa, and
Tucson.
The panel believes this factor made it impossible to convince numerous qualified
candidates including diverse candidates to consider the position.
On February 17, 2016 the Blue Ribbon Panel met again to discuss the recruitment
process and the slate of candidates it had interviewed. At the conclusion of that meeting
it was recommended that the following well qualified individuals (listed in alphabetical
order) be recommended as finalists for consideration by the Executive Committee of the
Commission:

Patrick Lee Heck

Dennis Probst
Brian Ryks
Tammy Lee Stanoch

The panel did not have a ranking of the finalists. A brief biography of each is attached to
this memo. Additionally, a non-public memo containing private personnel data protected
by the Minnesota Data Practices Act will be made available to all Commissioners. Each
candidate will be present at the Executive Committee meeting and will make a brief
presentation, with Committee discussion to follow.
Notwithstanding the salary issue discussed above, the Blue Ribbon Panel believes that
this is a very strong pool of finalists with unique backgrounds and styles. The panel
further believes that each of these individuals possesses the background and experience
necessary to become a successful Executive Director/CEO at the MAC.
2

PATRICK LEE HECK

EDUCATION
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Master of Public Policy, 2000
University of Denver, Denver, CO
Bachelor of Arts, Music and Public Affairs, 1997

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE
2015-Present MANCHESTER AIRPORTS GROUP USA
Denver, CO
Vice President, Commercial

2014-2015

CONTINUUM PARTNERS, LLC

Denver, CO
Chief Financial Officer

2006-2014

2000-2006

DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Denver, CO
2009-2014

Chief Financial Officer

2007-2009

Deputy Manager of Aviation, Revenue and Business

Development

2006-2007

Strategic Advisor

UNITED AIRLINES, INC.

Denver, CO
2005-2006

General Manager, Flight Training Services

2003-2006

Manager, Flight Training Scheduling

2000-2003

Senior Business Analyst, Flight Training Center

DENNIS PROBST
EDUCATION
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Master of Architecture, 1979
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, 1979
Bachelor of Arts, Architecture, 1975

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE
1997-PRESENT - METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMMISSION
Minneapolis, MN
2013-Present Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
2008-2013

2007-2008

Vice President, Planning Development and Environment

AECOM
Minneapolis, MN
Vice President

1997-2007

METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMMISSION

Minneapolis, MN
1998-2007
1997-1998

1983-1997

Director, Landside Development

Building Construction Manager

DAMES & MOORE, INC.

Minneapolis, MN
Vice President and Office Manager

IN PARALLEL:
1986-2002

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MN

1993-2002

Mayor

1992-1993

City Council

1986-1992

Chair, Planning Commission

BRIAN RYKS
EDUCATION
St. Cloud University, St. Cloud, MN
Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice Studies

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE
2012-Present GERALD R. FORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Grand Rapids, MI
Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer
2002-2012

DULUTH AIRPORT AUTHORITY

Duluth, MN
Executive Director

1997-2002

ST. CLOUD REGIONAL AIRPORT

St. Cloud, MN
Airport Manager

1995-1997

ABERDEEN REGIONAL AIRPORT

Aberdeen, SD
Airport Manager

1990-1995

STAPLETON AND DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Denver, CO
Manager, Noise Abatement

1986-1990

METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMMISSION

Minneapolis, MN
Noise and Operations Technician

TAMMY LEE STANOCH

EDUCATION
University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
Master of Business Administration, Business Administration, 2003
Concordia College, Moorhead, MN
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Bachelor of Arts, Communication
Studies, 1992
SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE
2012-2015

CARLSON COMPANIES, INC.

Minnetonka, MN
Vice President of Corporate Affairs

2010-2012

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION

Minneapolis, MN
Vice President, Development

2007-2009

NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC.

Eagan, MN
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Vice President, Corporate Affairs

2007

BERNSTEIN GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Minneapolis, MN
Vice President

2006

CANDIDATE FOR U.S. CONGRESS (5th DISTRICT)

Minneapolis, MN

2003-2006

LA MACCHIA ENTERPRISES
Milwaukee, WI
Vice President, Corporate Affairs

2002-2003

US AIRWAYS, INC.
Arlington, VA
Managing Director, Corporate Affairs

1999-2002

SUN COUNTRY AIRLINES

Mendota Heights, MN
Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Affairs

1998

HUMPHREY FOR GOVERNOR CAMPAIGN

St. Paul, MN
Communications Director

1996-1998

US SENATE
Washington, DC
Press Secretary, Senator Byron Dorgan

1992-1996

FOX NEWS NETWORK LLC

Washington, DC
Radio Talk Show Host and National Breaking News Producer