Monday, August 23, 2010

Controversial Airport Authority CEO John Clark A Finalist For Atlanta Job

John Clark, the CEO of the Indianapolis Airport Authority hired just last year, is one of three finalists to run the nation's busiest airport, Atlanta's Hartsville-Jackson International Airport. Clark has something in common with each of the contenders for the job. According to an Indianapolis Star report, the the other two finalists are Louis Miller, former executive director and chief executive of Tampa International Airport, and Lester Robinson, former chief executive of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Miller resigned his job earlier this year at Tampa after the airport authority's board brought in an outside attorney to investigate his dealings with the authority after several disagreements with the board over his actions. The Detroit airport authority's board fired Robinson earlier this year without explanation. Clark bolted his job in charge of Jacksonville's airport authority for greener pastures in Indianapolis after his treatment of employees and excessive spending on travel came under fire there. Clark has since come under fire at his Indianapolis CEO job for spending too much money on out-of-state travel. Florida prosecutors earlier this year announced they were investigating Clark's lavish travel expenditures while CEO of Jacksonville's airport. You would have thought the Atlanta search team could have found candidates with less controversy for consideration. Two of the three finalists are African-American, including Clark and Robinson. Miller is Caucasian. The decision will be made shortly by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who is African-American.

3 comments:

guy77money said...

Please let Atlanta hire him! Are there no hoosiers that can run an airport? It can't be that tough.

Gary R. Welsh said...

I'm sure there is only a token white candidate among the 3 finalists to make it appear the decision won't be based on race. Lacy Johnson forced through Clark's hiring here because he wanted a black CEO who wouldn't interfere with his affirmative action MBE contracting demands for all of his friends and clients. Clark has at least a 50% chance of getting the job.

Unknown said...

Think friendship and business associates, not race.

If 2 of the 3 candidates were white, would the black candidate be a "token"?