The deputy Albany County executive is interviewing to be the new CEO of the Albany International Airport.

Philip Calderone, who has worked for various Democratic leaders in Albany County for more than three decades, is one of a handful of people who are being considered by the pubic authority board to be the airport's new leader.

The $170,000 to $190,000-a-year job became available after John O'Donnell announced his retirement in June. O'Donnell, who is a professional engineer, has been the airport's CEO for 16 years, after joining the airport as its first director of project development in 1996.

Calderone confirmed his candidacy Tuesday, saying he will be interviewing before the airport board on Thursday. He declined to comment further.

The Albany Business Review reported that there are six to seven finalists that will interview during the next two weeks.

Airport spokesman Doug Myers wrote in an email to the Times Union that "we are obliged to maintain the confidentiality of those individuals that have applied until such time as the board has made a decision."

Calderone's boss, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, as well as the Albany County Legislature, appoint the airport board members but have no involvement in board votes.

The chairman of the airport board, retired Rev. Kenneth J. Doyle, is the former pastor of Mater Christi in Albany, where Calderone is a parishioner.

Doyle and McCoy couldn't be reached for comment.

Calderone, who grew up in the City of Albany, was an Albany County attorney from 1982 to 1996, and then became the City of Albany's deputy mayor under Jerry Jennings.

He became deputy county executive under McCoy in 2014. Calderone had a salary of $130,050 listed in last year's budget.

The job posting for Albany International's new CEO required at least 10 years "progressively responsible administrative experience in the management and leadership of a large scale, complex organization or department operations (preferred that a minimum of seven years are in a government setting with major airport or transportation components)."

Whoever takes over as airport CEO will inherit the current $50 million makeover that includes  upgrades at the terminal, construction of a parking garage and reshaping road entrances into the airport.

Another $32.2 million is being spent to build the new Exit 3 off the Northway to service airport patrons and upgrade the section of the Northway between exits 3 and 5.

———

©2019 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.)

Visit the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) at www.timesunion.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.