American staff
Kevin Dolliole has Lambert-St. Louis International Airport ready to take flight with a $105 million Main Terminal improvement plan. But when he sees the work completed he will most likely be just a traveler.
On Tuesday, Dolliole officially announced he is leaving his post as the airport’s director to return to San Antonio.
He could not convince his family to move to St. Louis, and he decided it was time to return to Texas.
Mayor Francis G. Slay called Dolliole “a breath of fresh air at Lambert.”
“His plan to revitalize the airport is going to be our blueprint.”
Dolliole spoke briefly at a Tuesday press conference at City Hall and said he “ultimately came to this conclusion” to leave a job that made him the city’s highest-paid employee.
Comptroller Darlene Green said Dolliole and she “worked together in 2005 to refund $263 million in airport debt, generating $3.2 million in savings and creating an additional $38 million cash flow savings through 2011.”
“Kevin’s vision and fiscal responsibility will be missed, but I wish him all the best and I’m thankful he now gets to spend time with his family.”
Green said Dolliole was instrumental in improving Lambert’s credit rating, which Moody’s raised to “stable” last year.
“Already this year, we refunded $354 million in bonds that saved $13 million and received an outlook upgrade from Fitch,” she said.
Slay appointed Dick Hrabko, St. Louis County’s director of aviation, to succeed Dolliole at Lambert Airport. He had served as acting Lambert Airport director for six months before Dolliole’s hiring.
“Dick Hrabko is very capable and will serve the airport well. I’ve worked with Dick for years on the airport commission and look forward to working with him,” Green said.