Former O'Hare, Midway CFO to Take Similar Albany Post

The new chief financial officer at Albany International Airport will bring some significant experience to the job.

Michael F. Zonsius, approved by the board of Albany County Airport Authority during a meeting on Sept. 5, previously was chief financial officer for the Chicago Department of Aviation, where he managed financial operations at O'Hare and Midway International Airports.

He most recently was a consultant for AvPorts, which employs 160 people at Albany International Airport  and provides management services including parking, building and airfield maintenance, and some emergency services here. Zonsius earlier worked for AvPorts as general manager  at Gary/Chicago International Airport.

His airport experience also includes positions at Kansas City International Airport, the Greater Rockford Airport Authority, Naples (Fla.) Airport Authority, and the Palwaukee Municipal Airport, now the Chicago Executive Airport.

Zonsius, who succeeds William O'Reilly in the CFO position, couldn't be reached for comment. He will be paid $155,000 annually at Albany.

"In appointing Mr. Zonsius, we recognized his broad aviation industry experience, including airport operations, financial planning, and cost controls, all of which are essential qualities that will ensure our continued growth, financial stability and competitive fare structure," said John O'Donnell, CEO of the Albany County Airport Authority.

Zonsius joins the airport authority as it manages $50 million in improvements to accommodate growing passenger volumes.

The airport, designed to accommodate 1.5 million passenger boardings a year, surpassed that figure over the past 12-month period, according to airport data. New signage and a new 1,000-car parking garage are among the improvements, as is a separate $50 million project to build an exit from the Adirondack Northway that will ease travel to and from the terminal.

O'Reilly in July announced his plan to retire after 11 years as the airport's chief financial officer. His announcement came a week after O'Donnell announced his plan to retire, although O'Donnell will stay on while $100 million in airport and highway infrastructure improvements are under way.

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