Meet the New MidAmerica St. Louis Airport Director Darren James Darren James took over as the new airport director for MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in January after serving as interim director for five months prior. Joe Petrie talked with James about the future of the airport, his career and the big changes in store for the facilities in the near future during a recent episode of the AviationPros Podcast. Darren James, director of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport MIDAMERICA ST. LOUIS AIRPORT Check out some of the highlights from the episode: His Path to MidAmerica James retired from the Air Force after a 30-year career. He wanted to stay connected to aviation and the local area, so he got a job at the airport before getting appointed to the current position. The Transition to Commercial Aviation Military aviation is different from the commercial aviation world. James said he focused his growth at MidAmerica with a lot of education and learning FAA processes. Listen to the episode The Future of MidAmerica Airport James is tasked with carrying out the vision St. Clair County, Illinois has with MidAmerica. A key part of that vision includes continuing to foster its relationship with Scott Air Force Base. Growth for MidAmerica Construction of a new general aviation facility and federal inspection station along with improvements to the commercial aviation terminal shows a commitment to growing air traffic at MidAmerica, including international travel. 34 \ AIRPORT BUSINESS / MARCH/APRIL 2024http://www.AviationPros.com/53096962