Thorpe Named CEO of the Ontario International Airport Authority
The Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)
Commission today named Mark Thorpe chief executive officer. Thorpe had been
interim CEO since July.
“Mark has been a valued member of the OIAA team
for more than a year, having played an integral role in the transition of
Ontario International Airport to local control,” said OIAA President Alan D.
Wapner. “He understands the Commission’s vision for the airport – one that is
low-cost, business friendly and customer focused, not to mention innovative and
collaborative in its approach with airport tenants and vendors.
“Most importantly, Mark is committed to
transforming ONT into a magnet for economic development in the Inland Empire,”
Mr. Wapner added.
Under Thorpe’s leadership, agreements have been
reached with Frontier Airlines and China Airlines to bring new airline service
to ONT. Frontier’s routes to Denver, San Antonio and Austin, Texas, beginning
October 12, with additional service to Chicago O’Hare in early 2018, represent
the largest commitment of new air service in more than a decade. China Airlines
will launch service between Ontario and Taiwan in spring 2018, marking ONT’s
emergence as Southern California’s newest global gateway.
In the three months since assuming the senior
leadership position, Thorpe has developed a fiscally sound budget for ONT,
shepherded new on-airport advertising and retail agreements with airport
concessionaires and expanded the ground transportation program, among other
noteworthy achievements.
Thorpe’s efforts have created significant new
revenue streams not related to the landing fees and terminal rents paid by
airlines, a critical step in ONT’s development as a commercial aviation
destination.
In July, ONT announced the extension of a
hanger lease with a long-time tenant which will generate more than $5 million
in rent payments along with significant capital improvements. New agreements
for in-terminal and outdoor advertising are expected to produce $7.6 million in
revenues over 10 years, and the addition of app-based ride hailing services to
the airport’s ground transportation program will generate additional revenues
on a per ride basis.
Prior to becoming interim CEO, Thorpe was the
OIAA’s chief development officer. He joined the OIAA in August 2016 with
extensive experience in air service development at Dallas-Fort Worth
International Airport and Los Angeles World Airports, the former parent agency
of ONT. While at LAWA, before the transfer of ONT, Thorpe was instrumental in
attracting airline service to Ontario.
The appointment was approved unanimously in a
special Saturday session after the Commission conducted a performance
evaluation for Thorpe.
"Coffee with Curt"
On Saturday, October 21, 2017 please join me and Chino Mayor Pro Tem,Tom Haughey, and take advantage of the opportunity to talk about San Bernardino County, the City of Chino, or anything else of interest in the community.
Please RSVP at http://bit.ly/4thdistrictcoffees.
For more information about this community event, please contact my District Office at (909) 465-5269.
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