Business View Magazine - Sept 2023

284 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 9 PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n International Aerospace Coatings iac.aero IAC are global leaders in aircraft painting, interiors, and graphics as well as engineering and technical services, providing critical infrastructure to key players in the aviation ecosystem. Together with our sister company Eirtech Aviation we service a wide range of airlines, operators, OEM’s, leasing companies and MROs across the globe. n Amarillo EDC www.amarilloedc.com The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (Amarillo EDC) is the primary economic development engine of the Amarillo community, responsible for industry growth and job creation through business attraction and retention initiatives. The mission of the Amarillo EDC is to attract businesses to Amarillo which offer highly skilled, highly-paid positions; to expand and retain existing local businesses in Amarillo; and to foster a business environment conducive to entrepreneurship. Learn more at www.amarilloedc.com . n West Texas A&M University www.wtamu.edu Take your education to the next level at West Texas A&M University. Our graduate programs embody the innovative spirit of the Texas Panhandle and beyond. WT125, the University’s long-term strategic plan, guides our mission in providing regionally- responsive, high-quality programs to our students. Through leading-edge research and nationally recognized programs, we transform our students and our communities. Discover affordable, advanced education at the Graduate School at West Texas A&M University. n Bell Textron Inc. www.bellflight.com “It’s a great building. The airlines love it. The passengers love it. But it’s 13 years old and needs a lot of maintenance,” he opines. “We have to keep up with that and our airfield -- keeping up with the pavement maintenance is a challenge when we don’t have enough staff to make that happen according to plan.” Amarillo is the place to be With all that being said, Conner, who has been AMA’s Airport Director for the past six years, and has a long résumé in the field, with previous stints at Wilkes-Barre Scranton and MidAmerica St. Louis is happy at AMA and has no desire to manage a larger facility. “I enjoy the camaraderie at a smaller airport,” he relays. “There’s a lot more autonomy. And what keeps me motivated is the level of opportunity that’s here. Amarillo is a growing community; we’ve exceeded 200,000 in the city and that doesn’t count the outlying areas.” “There’s a lot of opportunity for growth. We’ve got a great organization and we’ve got so much land to develop. And with Amarillo as a growing city, it’s great for the airport. Ultimately, it’s going to allow us to make things better, improve our customer services, and improve the size of the airport.”