Dayton Aviation Director Terry Slaybaugh has resigned to take another job.
Slaybaugh told city staff Tuesday that he had submitted his resignation to the city manager and his last day would be July 26.
Slaybaugh will be moving into a position with JobsOhio, according to JobsOhio spokesman Matt Englehart.
“During his time as director of the Dayton International Airport, Terry Slaybaugh oversaw updates and renovations that made the Dayton region more attractive to businesses looking to invest in Ohio,” Englehart said. “Terry will make an outstanding addition to the JobsOhio team as we develop strategies to enhance economic development around Ohio’s airports and explore strategies to expand air service for our state.”
“I know that you will continue to build on the excellent service and organization that is the Department of Aviation,” Slaybaugh said in the email. “I am very proud of all of our collective accomplishments we have made together over the last eight years. I look forward to seeing all of you in the last few weeks of my employment with the city and look forward to seeing you at various events in the future. My family and I will continue to live in the city of Dayton and the Dayton International Airport will always be my airport when I travel.”
The aviation director is appointed by the city manager, who likely has some ideas about potential replacements, said Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley. The timeline for a replacement is unknown.
“We have good staff at the airport, long-time staff. We'll be fine," Whaley said. "I think Terry's put together a good vision about (the airport) and we've obviously bought into that. We have a good relationship with the folks that we do development with, so we feel confident that we're well on our way."
Slaybaugh has done a good job as director, Whaley said. The issues facing the Dayton airport are a symptom of its size and the current model airlines are using, yet he was able to add jobs during his time and the airport is doing well compared to others of similar size.
"I think Terry was the perfect person to do this. He was the architect of this idea," Whaley said. "He has an economic development background as well as being an airport director and that's why we chose him."
Slaybaugh has resigned the post previously. He left in early 2015, leaving Dayton to work as director of Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee for less than three months. He returned to the Dayton job in May 2015.
Slaybaugh has overseen a development boom around the airport. At least five logistics centers so far totaling more than 2.7 million square feet and employing more than 2270 people have been drawn to areas around Dayton International Airport.
That represents a $92.3 million in capital investment in the area in recent years.
The new airport director will likely be able to choose the future vision of the airport with a new master plan study, which the airport recently received a $1.26 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to complete.
Slaybaugh in August was also named chairman of the Big Hoopla Local Organizing Committee, the organization which supports the University of Dayton as the host for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship First Four games.
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