Robbins takes over as acting Northern Colorado airport director

LOVELAND — Francis Robbins, director of operations and maintenance at Northern Colorado Regional Airport, has taken the reins as acting director while a search continues for a permanent replacement.

Robbins replaces David Ruppel, an aviation consultant who was appointed interim director with a yearlong contract in June 2023 after the resignation of director Jason Licon. Ruppel’s last day on the job was July 6, and Robbins’ first full day at the helm was last Monday.

Ruppel’s “contract ended and was not extended,” Robbins said.

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“My first day as acting director was the governance study meeting that I thought Dave was going to be heading up, so I had a short time to prepare for it,” he said, “but it turned out reasonably OK.”

The job of permanent director of the airport, which is jointly owned by the cities of Loveland and Fort Collins, was “posted in the last week of June by the recruiter,” Robbins said. “They’re accepting applications until July 28, at which point it will start the review and interview process.”

The airport’s governing commission will next meet at 3:30 p.m. Thursday for what Robbins described as “a bit of a different format” than its usual and more formal third-Thursday sessions. Airport stakeholders will be invited to ask questions of Robbins and the commission and will be taken on a tour of the airport’s new terminal, which is still under construction.

That commission has a new face: Dale Miller, who has headed the city of Loveland’s road and bridge department, was appointed to become Loveland’s appointed citizen representative on the panel last month, filling a vacancy left by the departure of Curt Burgener last year.

The commission is chaired by Fort Collins mayor Jeni Arndt. Jerry Stooksbury, a jointly appointed citizen representative, is vice chair, and the panel includes Loveland mayor Jacki Marsh and City Council member Troy Krenning, Fort Collins city manager Kelly DiMartino and appointed Fort Collins citizen representative Michael “Mick” Williams.