For Craig Williams, Director of Bishop International Airport, 2015 was a busy year. He was appointed to the position in August 2014 by the Bishop International Airport Authority Board in a unanimous vote. Craig replaced long-time director Jim Rice, who retired after many years of service. “The first year went by so fast!” he exclaims. He describes it as “a year of discovery.” “I spent a lot of time learning about the community and the people at the airport. The staff here is great and it is a great facility.” Craig said it was a well-run airport before he got there, for which he gives credit to his predecessor. He believes he has learned more about himself and about being a leader. The airport director spent some time on a wintry afternoon talking with My City Magazine about his background, his family and his vision for the future.
Craig has been interested in aviation since he was a young boy, when he would walk to the local airport to watch the planes come in. Prior to his position at BIA, he was the director of operations at the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority, also serving as the director of administration and finance there. He was a senior aviation consultant for Reynolds, Smith & Hills, and his background includes working in Washington, D.C. as Staff Vice President, Regulatory Affairs. Craig received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration, with a concentration on Transportation Policy and Logistics from George Mason University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Administration from Indiana State University.
“I love working in an airport. I grew up in aviation and just love being here.”
Craig Williams
As the director at BIA, Craig is responsible for the operation of the airport and leading its management team. What he likes best about his job is helping the community and staff work toward a common goal. They are currently working on a plan to take the airport to the next level of success. “I love working in an airport,” he says, “I grew up in aviation and I just love being here.” While he doesn’t see many negative aspects in his job, what he likes least is finding a way to keep all interested parties happy. “It’s like being the mayor of a small town,” he says, smiling. “There are tenants of the airport, the community and the staff who all need to strike a balance. That is where it gets tough.”
Craig lives in the Fenton area with his wife, Tracy, and their two daughters Madeline, 10, and Lillian, 4. Tracy works for a tech company based in Washington, D.C. and travels frequently. Outside of work, Craig’s interests include reading and music. “I love to read,” he says, “and spending time with my girls.” He says the last good book he read was The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World. “It was a fantastic book about energy policy and it gave me a greater understanding of oil prices.” Another book he recently read and enjoyed was written by Rose Casemont, a University of Michigan-Flint professor, entitled Black History in the Pages of Children’s Literature. “It was a really, really good read,” he says. He loves reading so much that every evening from 8 to 9pm is reading time for him and his girls. “I want them to love reading, too,” he says. Craig and his family also enjoy getting away to their lake house in Northern Indiana.
So far, the Williams family is enjoying life in Greater Flint. “I am so impressed with what I have seen so far,” he shares. “We go Downtown Flint for the restaurants and museums. It is a really nice area.” He says he has been overwhelmed by the way his family has been received by the community. “We truly feel as though we’ve been embraced and welcomed.”
His vision for the future of BIA? “We are already positioned for success,” says Craig. “My predecessor set up a sound infrastructure.” He adds that Michigan is making a comeback and that the airport will do what it can to support area economic development by making sure more flights are available through BIA. “My wish is for people to check out the Flint airport first,” he says. “If Bishop is going to grow, the entire community needs to support it.”
