The Benefits of Diversifying

With investment of some $7 million, the airport is currently developing a new 60,000-square foot snow removal equipment (SRE) facility. Expected for completion in September of this year, the building has been designed to gain LEED-Silver certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.

Features of the new SRE facility include the ability to capture rainwater from the roof (which is to be used for cleaning airport vehicles), and the installation of both geo-thermal heat as well as in-floor heat.

In terms of funding, a grant was obtained from Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy initiative, a utility-based grant process, says director Tom Miller.

Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficient and renewable energy projects. “It doesn’t save even 10 percent of the cost of construction, but in the long-term we expect to save significantly in terms of our energy consumption,” comments Miller.

The remainder of the facility’s cost is being funded with airport improvement dollars. Miller says the airport’s next project will be the development of a new ARFF station; annual revenue for the airport was some $12 million last year.

Executive Air is one of two FBOs on the field at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport. According to general manager Mark Jaraczewski, the FBO is structured on
providing top-quality customer service to Green Bay’s transient business. “That’s where our strength is,” he relates.

“We have a great corporate customer base that really feeds the business,” says Jaraczewski, who has been with the FBO for 22 years.
Executive’s largest profit center is fueling, which makes up some 60 percent of the business. Maintenance contributes to 30 percent, and hangaring and miscellaneous services make up the remaining 10 percent, says Jaraczewski.
In 2007, Executive experienced significant growth, increasing business by some 20 percent. The success spurred $3 million in capital development that included a new terminal and additional hangar space. “Hangaring is huge in Green Bay; it’s a big part of our business,” says Jaraczewski. Executive Air currently has 68,000 square feet of hangar space.
“Another huge part of our business is Green Bay Packer football traffic,” he adds. “On average, we will get anywhere from 60 to more than 150 planes sometimes for Packer games.”
The FBO markets itself with a mass e-newsletter, a vehicle for offering specials on anything from fuel discounts to aircraft inspections .
“We definitely target the pilots,” says Jaraczewski. “We also target schedulers and dispatchers because charter traffic is a big part of the business. NetJets is probably one of our biggest customers.”