Mike has more than 35 years’ experience in aviation going back to 1980 when he started flight training. He has worked at the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority for 7+ years, and moved to Stead from the VP of Operations and Public Safety at RNO. Previously, Mike was the Manager of Airside Operations and Communications where he maintained daily standards to meet Federal Aviation Administration certification requirements, managed the Airport Communications Center, and the Emergency Operations Center. Prior to joining the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Mike was the Assistant General Manager/General Manager-select at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport District where he worked from 2002 to 2009.
Mike is a commercial-instrument pilot and a former military flight instructor. An Accredited Airport Executive with experience at military, general aviation and commercial service airports in the US and overseas, Mike’s background includes: leadership of large aviation units, international affairs, emergency and contingency operations, strategic intelligence, and aviation and ground safety management.
Mike and Trudy have been married since 1984 and have four daughters who all like flying, but mostly just to travel via our airlines. Active in the community, Mike was one of the founding members of the West Point Society of N. Nevada, a 501 (c) 3 entity that promotes the military academies and supports admissions from N. Nevada. Mike also enjoys swimming, biking, and not-so-much-anymore running, and he is a quiet member of the Reno Composite Squadron of Civil Air Patrol.