Airport Administration and Executive Staff
Richard B. McQueen,
President & Chief Executive Officer
Promoted to President and CEO at the Akron-Canton Airport in October of this year, Rick’s core responsibilities include leading a 47 member team of airport employees, strategic planning, and managing the new CAK 2018 Capital Improvement Program; a 10-year, $110 million plan that includes a 600 ft. runway extension. Other projects include a customs and border patrol facility and an extended upper level concourse. He reports to an eight member board of trustees (four appointed by the Summit County Executive and four appointed by the Stark County Commissioners) and manages a 9 million dollar annual operating budget. Akron-Canton Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the U.S. and offers the lowest average fare in the State of Ohio.
Rick began his career at the airport as Airport Accountant in 1982. He was promoted to Controller, then Assistant Director of Finance and Administration and then held the position of Assistant Airport Director, the number two position in the organization. As Assistant Airport Director, he was responsible for managing finances, accounting, contracts, and government funding; personnel hiring and employee benefit programs; and capital project administration, including the $24 million concourse replacement and $80 million in airfield upgrades (part of the STAR Capital Improvement Plan completed in 2006). Under Rick's leadership, the airport received the an Excellence in Engineering award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Ohio; the FAA’s Great Lakes Region Safety Award; and the American Society of Professional Engineer’s Excellence in Engineering Award.
Rick graduated from Walsh College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting and Finance. He serves on the Walsh University Advisory Board and has recently been appointed to the Greater Akron Chamber Board of Trustees and the Akron/ Summit County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Prior to his employment at the airport, Rick worked for Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young).
Kristie Van Auken, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
Kristie joined the airport staff in 1996 as Director of Marketing & Communications. Her responsibilities include all airport marketing, branding, air service development initiatives, communications and community relations.
In addition to her airport duties, Kristie serves on the Board of Directors of the Akron AAA, the Executive Marketing Forum, the Cleveland+ Regional Marketing Alliance, and the Walsh University Business Advisory Council.
Additionally, Kristie co-chairs the stewardship and communication committees at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Akron. She is a Leadership Akron graduate, a member of the Akron/Canton chapter of the American Marketing Association, Sales and Marketing Executives International of Akron, and the Public Relations Society of America, Akron/ Canton Chapter.
Prior to joining the airport, Kristie worked for the Greater Akron Chamber and the State of Michigan, International Affairs division.
Kristie was honored as a 2008 Distinguished Sales and Marketing professional by Sales and Marketing Executives of Cleveland; was selected as one of 30 for the Future, recognizing today's young leaders in Northeastern Ohio in 2007; and Crain’s Cleveland Business included Kristie in their 40 Under 40 list of upcoming executives in Northeast Ohio in 2005. Sales and Marketing Executives of Akron selected Kristie as a distinguished sales and marketing professional in 2002.
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Austin College in Sherman, Texas and a Masters of Public Administration from Western Michigan University.
Frederick Krum, Airport Director (from 1981 to Sept. 30, 2008)
Fred has served as the airport director since 1981. He began his distinguished career at the Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) in 1975 as the airport accountant, was quickly promoted assistant director by then director Jack Doyle. After Doyle’s retirement, Fred was promoted to the director’s seat in 1981. During his tenure, Fred managed more than $250 million in capital improvements, helped passenger figures quadruple, attracted Piedmont Airlines, AirTran Airways and Frontier Airlines (driving air fares down in the region), acquired hundreds of acres of additional land and kept airport operating costs low. His efforts helped position the airport for continued success and strategic importance in Northeastern Ohio.
Because of his strong leadership, Krum won numerous achievement awards including the Sales & Marketing Executives of Akron’s Executive of the Year award in 2002. Additionally in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, Fred was recognized among Inside Business Magazine’s Power 100 (a listing of the most influential leaders in Northeast Ohio). He also received the 2006 President's Award from the Akron/ Summit County Convention and Visitors Bureau for his career-long impact on tourism and hospitality in the region and was named “Master Innovator” at the 2006 Smart Business Innovation in Business Conference.
During his career, Fred was also a tireless community leader serving on the boards of the North Canton Schools, Wayne Savings Bank, Mercy Medical Center, the Greater Akron Chamber, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Stark Development Board, and the Ohio Commercial Airport Consortium.Fred also loved coaching the multiple sports teams on which his children James, Michael, and Lisa participated in when they were young.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree from John Carroll University, Cleveland, Ohio and a Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, and is a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives.
In retirement, Fred and his wife Diane will enjoy spending time with their family, including two grandchildren, Brooklyn and Ethan, and traveling to Florida (nonstop aboard AirTran Airways to Ft. Myers, one of the many routes he helped secure) during the long Ohio winter.
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