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KRTV has learned that John Faulkner has been selected as the new director of the Great Falls International Airport.

The Great Falls International Airport Authority Board voted unanimously in a special meeting to offer Faulkner the position. The airport board will now draw up a contract that will be ready to sign at the board's regularly scheduled meeting next Tuesday.

The announcement comes just days after incumbent director Cynthia Schultz was relieved of her duties, following months of disagreement between Schultz and airport board members.

Faulkner has been the Assistant Aviation Director for Planning and Development at Colorado Springs Airport, Colorado Springs, Colorado, since 2006.

Faulkner started his aviation career as a consultant with a large aviation consulting firm specializing in financial feasibility analysis, financial structuring, master plans and long range planning.

He worked with a number of national and international airport clients before taking the position of Business Development Manager for the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Mr. Faulkner has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati. He is an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.).

(April 13, 2010) The Great Falls Airport Authority has named Sharon Tuck as its interim director, assuming day to day responsibilities from incumbent Cynthia Schultz.

During a closed meeting on Tuesday, the board announced it will continue to pay Schultz her salary and benefits through June 30th, which is the end of her current contract.

Tuck, who serves as the chief financial officer for the airport, will assume the job until a new Airport Director is hired.

We contacted Cynthia Schultz about the decision and she sent us this statement:

It has been an honor to serve the hometown I love for 12 years. I am grateful to have served with an incredible team of airport staff that delivered excellent results in all airport operations and development all of the time. The accomplishments of this airport team in the last 12 years speak for themselves including; securing and building the FedEx development, attraction of Edge Marketing, the first category III ILS runway in Montana (one of only 46 in the country), terminal building, parking and apron upgrade, attraction and development of AvMax, attraction of the DHS Aerial Surveillance Unit, development of 24 new private hangars, securing the first residential sound insulation program in Montana, the increase of assets from $18 million to $113 million, the attraction of 2 new airlines to 3 new direct markets, the creation of 270 jobs and increasing federal investment from $265,000 in the prior 18 years to $52.6 million during the last 12 years. These results demonstrate what hard-working people with common goals can accomplish. A big thank you to the community for all the support shown to my staff and I. I wish all the best to the staff, tenants and new Director.

The chairman of the Great Falls Airport Authority Board, Jeff Mangan, issued the following statement:

The Airport Authority believes the upcoming interview process and ultimate selection of one of the four final candidates is a significant step as we move forward in building the future for our airport, our community, and our region. In addition to the circumstances presented, and in light of the fact Director Schultz was not selected as a candidate finalist, the Board believes it is now in everyone’s best interest to begin a new chapter. The Board will fulfill its contractual obligations to the Director in terms of compensation and benefits through June 30, 2010. However, effective immediately, the Board will not require the services of Ms. Schultz. We thank Ms. Schultz for her service to the Great Falls International Airport and wish her well in future endeavors.

Later this week, four candidates for the position will be in Great Falls interviewing for the job.

A special Saturday meeting, open to the public, is scheduled to begin the selection process.

Today's action comes after months of controversy between the board and Schultz.

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