Business View Magazine | July 2019

102 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JULY 2019 The State of Wisconsin does not authorize airport authorities, but we operate as close to an airport authority as you can. This structure allows the Airport to be more responsive to new development requests and initiatives than a traditional city- county ownership model, which Wisconsin airports typically follow.” The operating agreement between the two counties includes financial participation from both, when necessary. This money is primarily used for capital in order to match federal and state funds for development programs. The daily operations of the airport are self-sufficient. With a staff equivalent of seven full-time positions and airline services running from early morning late into the night, it is amazing the amount of work that can be accomplished. But the hard work does have its awe-inspiring moments. Chippewa Valley Regional Airport hosts a very large air show every two to three years. The air show is sponsored by the Chippewa Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America and benefits several non-profit organizations in the community. “The air show sponsoring organization engages area volunteers, as well, to raise money for their organizations,” says Zich. “It fits in with our goal to try to inspire youth. It is also a great community event – but it is our hope that it gets area youth excited about aviation. On a good weather day, the air show will draw 20,000-30,000 visitors a day and has earned us the Blue Angels Air Show of the Year for how well it is planned and runs. It’s an event we love to host.” It is plain to see why Chippewa Valley Regional Airport is truly much more than an airport. With the Airport’s ongoing initiatives, astounding economic impact, and forward-thinking commission, the future is full of blue skies. PREFERRED VENDOR n Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service www.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service is an integrated system of ground ambulance, helicopter and fixed-wing air ambulance linked through emergency communications delivering quality Mayo Clinic emergency care and medical transport directly to the patient at scenes of injury or referring hospitals. Our teams carry a variety of life-saving equipment and medications including blood and plasma products.