It’s an old saying, one appropriate to the occasion: Nobody ever talks about the planes that land safely.
On Tuesday, friends, staff and community members gathered at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport for a farewell celebration for Mike Hainsey, who has retired after 19 years as the airport’s executive director.
For those of us who live in the Golden Triangle, it is sometimes easy to take Hainsey’s efforts for granted. Metaphorically speaking, the planes landed safely during Hainsey’s watch, which covered a critical time in our area’s economic development.
What is sometimes forgotten or perhaps never understood, is that GTRA is something of an anomaly among regional airports, Most are not profitable and many rely heavily on federal subsidies to stay in operation. Neither is the case at GTRA.
Throughout Hainsey’s tenure, GTRA has not only remained solvent but has expanded and improved. It’s a well-operated, profitable airport whose future is bright. Not that there hasn’t been some turbulence over the past 19 years. Almost as soon as he arrived, the airport lost its commercial carrier, Northwest Airlines. Hainsey negotiated an agreement with Delta and the relationship has continued to grow over the years. Just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Delta operated four daily flights out of GTRA to and from Atlanta and still operates three daily outbound and three daily inbound flights.
The pandemic presented its challenges, too, but airport traffic is rebounding nicely.
Those achievements would be enough of a testament to secure for Hainsey our respect and appreciation, but his contributions extend beyond the airport.
Hainsey’s arrival at GTRA came almost simultaneously with the boom in industry in Lowndes County. It was not coincidental.
Aside from Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins and his staff, arguably no one was more influential in bringing industry to our area than Hainsey, who immediately recognized and embraced the symbiotic relationship between the airport and industry. About 80 percent of GTRA travel is business travel, most of it generated by the industries that have located here over the past two decades.
Hainsey was a tireless advocate for the airport, never turning down an invitation to speak at civic clubs or gatherings, which he used as an opportunity to promote GTRA.
Likewise, Hainsey’s efforts to support Columbus Air Force Base should not be forgotten. A former Air Force pilot himself (he retired with the rank of Lt. Colonel in 1999), Hainsey cultivated a close working relationship with the base. Making the airport available for CAFB training flights has allowed the base to maintain its training schedules and strengthened its position.
Bases are sometimes subject to being closed, but CAFB’s excellent pilot-training record, aided through its partnership with GTRA, helps secure the base’s future and, by extension, our community’s future.
Hainsey has played a direct role in all of these facets of our community. All that remained for him was to groom and prepare his replacement.
Matt Dowell, who served as Hainsey’s assistant director for the past nine years, takes over well-prepared for the job, with a ringing endorsement from Hainsey.
Hainsey’s track record reveals a man who deftly executes both short term and long term goals. The region needs more leaders able to do this.
We thank Hainsey for all that he has done for our community and are optimistic that Dowell will have similar success.
Even if we are prone to take it for granted sometimes.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
