May 10--In introducing Ginger Evans as Chicago's new aviation commissioner Sunday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel outlined his agenda for making Chicago more than an aviation hub, but a global gateway.
"It's one thing to talk about O'Hare as the busiest airport," Emanuel said. "But with this selection process. I don't want just the busiest airport. I want the best airport in America and the world."
Evans, vice president for engineering at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, will fill the commissioner's job that has been vacant since Rosemarie Andolino departed in November. Each year, 50 airlines provide nonstop service from Chicago to about 200 cities for 86 million passengers.
Evans will earn $300,000 a year and be eligible for a $100,000 performance bonus, city officials said. Her base salary is more than $100,000 higher than Andolino's, according to city salary records online.
Emanuel said along with the city's cultural institutions and universities, O'Hare International and Midway airports distinguish Chicago.
He said he asked the search committee to find someone who would build on that reputation by improving domestic and international routes and modernize the facility and perhaps finally build and launch a direct express train service from downtown to the airports.
"Those in my view are the building blocks of an aviation industry in a 21st century that continues to secure Chicago's role as ... a world-class city," Emanuel said.
Evans echoed the mayor's agenda. But she must tackle a number of long-term problems from Day One.
She likely will oversee the final phase of adding runways and building additional terminal space at O'Hare, projects United Airlines and American Airlines have opposed. She also will have to address growing frustration among residents of Chicago and the suburbs over the changing jet noise patterns near O'Hare.
She also must deal with issues including new food and beverage contracts with vendors at O'Hare and Midway to long-term agreements with the airlines on rent, landing fees and related matters.
"FAA calls (O'Hare) a large hub airport," Evans said. "O'Hare is something more than that. O'Hare is a global gateway airport. There are only a handful of those in the world."
mrodriguez@tribpub.com
