Gainesville Regional Airport found its new CEO after candidate interviews on Monday.  

The Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority (GACRAA) questioned three candidates for an hour each during a special meeting, but the first candidate, Ferdinand Paul Mehrlich, proved difficult to top.  

GACRAA settled on Mehrlich as its choice, and Chair Kinnon Thomas said he will now negotiate a contract for the authority to review at its regular March meeting. 

The airport authority also interviewed Francis Jason Devillier and Stephen Clark for the position.   

The new CEO search started in November after longtime CEO Allan Penksa announced his retirement. Penksa has served at Gainesville’s airport for 18 years, overseeing major terminal expansion and the new four-story parking garage. 

When Mehrlich left after the interview, authority members agreed that he’d answered their questions thoughtfully. He’d set the bar high, one member noted. Another said they had worried about the candidates job hopping, using the post in Gainesville as a steppingstone.  

Mehlich addressed the issue during his responses. He said the city, like growing up in Provo, Utah, is a university town that sits between a big city and a small town. 

“So, I feel that creates that nice balance where I can see having that really long-term career in one spot,” he said. 

Mehlich currently serves as executive director of aviation at Texarkana Regional Airport. He started there in January 2020. 

The airport is smaller than Gainesville Regional Airport and located in Arkansas, but Mehlich said the airport is co-owned by two cities—one in Arkansas and the other in Texas. Because of the structure, he said he’s used to dealing with commission oversight and complex government.  

Prior to Texarkana, he worked at Dallas Executive Airport and Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.  

Mehlich joined the U.S. Navy to fly the P-8 Poseidon before getting injured, he told the authority on Monday. He said he worked as a fuel pumper afterward to stay in the aviation sector.   

“I wanted to be able to go out and help my fellow pilots because I had flown along with them,” Mehlich said. “I still wanted to be very much involved in aviation. What I discovered was I loved it even more than flying. It’s weird to say that you fall in love with the airport itself, but I do. I really enjoy working at airports.” 

Authority members asked about his experience overseeing capital projects and how he might deal with the Gainesville airport’s upcoming apron reconstruction projects and how his staff management would change moving up to the CEO position. 

The authority also asked Merlich why they should hire him in 10 words or less.  

“I have the experience that you’re looking for, but as an individual, I am also the character of a person that you’re looking for,” he replied. 

Merhlich also asked questions of the authority. Primarily, what about Penksa made him a successful CEO during his tenure? 

Authority member Teresa Callen replied. She said Penksa can condense information, make everything transparent and open to questions.