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The son a farmer, Chris Rozansky always saw his future in the sky, not the ground.
First, he thought he was going to be a pilot. But after a college internship at an airport operations facility in Trenton, N.J., he turned his focus to the business side of airports. Calling airports small cities within a city, Rozansky has worked in eight airports across five states over 18 years. That includes stops in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania. In Florida he ran the Venice Municipal Airport from October 2010 to February 2016.
He was named head of the Naples airport, with 80 employees and an annual budget of more than $20 million, in March 2016. “I like small airports more than bigger airports because you can do all kinds of things in smaller airports,” he says. “Every day has its unique challenges.”
The job, at least in Naples, also has some unique passengers. With a roster of fractional jet and charter planes — there are no major commercial airlines — the airport is often a base for many prominent business leaders and other high net worth individuals. No wonder Rozansky says his favorite place to network is the airport’s general aviation terminal lobby. Just last month, a host of government officials, from President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, to Gov. Rick Scott, went through the airport on the way to see area communities hardest hit by Hurricane Irma.
Active with state and national airport and transportation groups, Rozansky has spent time working outside the airport, meeting with community and civic groups. But he places a premium on getting to know the airport’s diverse employee base. Says Rozansky: “I ask myself every day if we are doing enough to engage employees.”
— Mark Gordon
Name: Christopher A. Rozansky
Age: 39
City of residence: Naples
Employer: Naples Airport Authority
Title: Executive Director
Birthplace: Freehold, NJ
Years on the Gulf Coast: 7
Marital status/children: Delightfully married to the lovely Beth for 5 years with a rambunctious talkative curious two-year-old son, Caleb, and baby sister on the way, due in January 2018
Alma mater/degree: The Ohio State University, Aviation Management
Best place to network: In our general aviation terminal lobby. Great place to interact with colleagues, customers and visitors. After Hurricane Irma we hosted the President of the United States, Vice President, Congressman, Governor, State Representative, County Commissioner, the Mayor and other dignitaries before they visited the communities hardest hit by Irma
Messy desk or clean workspace: EVERYTHING has its place
Eat lunch out or at your desk: Yes
Best business lesson ever learned: Very few people will remember your accomplishments, but everyone will remember their relationship with you and how you made them feel
Weirdest job you’ve ever had: Looney Tunes costume character at Six Flags Great Adventure while in high school
A website that makes your job easier: worklife.org
App you use the most: NOAA MyRadar
One thing you do everyday: Yoga, most days
Community group you’re most involved with: Summit Church
Favorite off-hours activity: Cleaning up matchbox cars after tripping over them
Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: Jesus and my father
What you would be doing if you could pick another career: Tiny house builder
Top item on your bucket list: Visit a national park in all 50 states, starting with Glacier National Park…before they’re all gone
Your happy place is: Any place without cell service (i.e. the mountains, a cruise, etc.)
Your biggest fear: Taking even one day for granted, for none of us know how many we will be given
Skill you’d like to learn: Sailing
Who would play you in a movie about your life: Fred Savage — I could really relate to Kevin Arnold as an adolescent.
Describe yourself in three words: Passionate, hardworking and devoted
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