Lovely MARGARET HIGGINS encouraged us to enjoy today’s best salad ever! Eggs and Bacon! … and some of those green flaky things that grow in the ground. Oh, and salmon. And chicken. And potatoes. And more steamed ground grown foodstuffs. Sumptuous!
Commanding heights and community kids support leader ELIJAH NDOYE led us in the pledge and a super rendition of “My Country Tis of Thee” accompanied by our very dear GARY HIRSCH.
Lovely MARGARET reported new member KIOTE ERICKSON’s crushed pelvis from a ladder fall. Ouch! Bad ladder! Get better soon KIOTE!
Softly somber MARGARET then gave us a prayerful moment of silence for SARAH GAAR’s husband BRUCE EHRENS passing from Cancer this weekend.
And then a buzzing Inspirational Moment when two wheeled motor enthusiast DAN KALM noted bees keep their hive a balmy 94-96 degrees: Bees are not as busy as they seem … they just can’t buzz any slower!
Calming DAN then thanked our numerous guests and for a change of pace, had them all stand up so we could properly welcome them all at once with big applause! Lots of great looking folks, including at my table a cool neighbor of mine, I didn’t even know I had! Tucson is such a small town – love it!No raffle because we forgot to get a new deck of cards … an obvious conspiracy to prevent me from winning!
Lovely MARGARET announced:
- Profoundly grateful for donations to the OPCS drive today!
- Bring children’s books every opportunity for Make Way For Books!
- Dove Mountain Rotary Fundraiser Mugs for sale in the back: I bought one of these really cool color changing mugs to make my beloved jealous!
The President of UA had to cancel speaking to us due to illness, and we wish him a swift recovery and return.
On ridiculously short notice, our super awesome leadership won over an outstanding speaker. Financial guru PAT ZUMBUSCH introduced former Reno, Jacksonville, San Diego and since 2012 Tucson Aviation expert, Operations leader to President / CEO of our beloved Tucson Airport Authority, and even cooler, licensed pilot, DANETTE BEWLEY, to enlighten us on all things Tucson International Airport!Cheerful DANETTE comes from a high-flying family, with a navy and commercial pilot Dad and flight attendant Mom!
AC (after covid) TIA has recovered to date to 3.9m annual passengers, just shy of BC’s 4m, with steady growth continuing! Currently six major airlines serve Tucson and there is a new non-stop to Orange County, think Disneyland, beaches, & water sports one flight away. That is just one of 20 non-stop destinations. Of course, we are just one stop away from nearly everywhere!
The two year Airfield Safety Enhancement Program is moving and further building out the 2nd runway to serve projected growth and fully supported by the International Guard partner. Our TSA mandated increased police and K9 teams are so good, they swept and cleared the Superbowl last year. Upgrades to the existing terminals include the best art in the world from our colorful DIANE MADERAS! TIA is keeping it clean, evidenced by winning a Global Bio-risk Advisory award. And TIA proudly supports our brave military folks with a very cool, also art filled, military lounge. Shout out to our patriotic Rotary members who helped initiate! Super cool is a planned $8B terminal expansion replacing the current structure with an even easier navigable linear building with 35 gates!
TIA is looking beyond its borders to favorably influence the RTA planned Country Club / I-10 interchange for speedier access. The economic impact on the region of TIA was last measured at $8.3B annually and growing. Within their property lines, room for expansion led to a new 100,000 sq. ft. SkyWest Airlines maintenance hangar with more great jobs for Tucson. And outside their border, TIA is working closely with neighboring American Battery Factory and the City of Tucson to support mutually beneficial infrastructure improvements.
What we can do? Encourage everyone to fly in and out of TIA! There is still 30% leakage, locals wasting four hours of their lives back and forth from PHX and spending way too much parking up there!
Cheerful DANETTE answered questions: Yes, TIA occasionally finds handguns in carry-on luggage from careless locals (glad they find them). Yes, she will explore expansion of the cell phone lot (or you can just park on the neighboring dirt like I do). Yes, there is a chance at adding a non-stop flight to Boston / east coast, just waiting for a slot to be freed up. Yes, private aviation is expanding and they are working with local operations on it. 65% of TIA’s revenue is from airlines and 35% is from other sources (rental income, etc.). Yes, Alaska Airline’s grounding of some flights and Boeings response is slightly impacting TIA, but that is okay if it means aircraft don’t turn into convertibles!
Lovely MARGARET re-capped the meeting and let calming DAN give a buzzing toast and adjourn another great meeting!
