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AIRPORT VOICE, FEBRUARY 2019 23
Anthony C. Vero, current
Deputy General Manager
of LaGuardia Airport,
selected as Deputy General
Manager at JFK Airport
and Christina Callahan,
current Executive Director
at Syracuse Airport will
begin as Deputy General
Manager of LaGuardia
Airport effective March
2019.
All the individuals
have extensive
experience in airport
management and
development. Everett
is currently Interim
General Manager
of JFK and Deputy
Aviation Director of the
Port Authority. Vero
joined the Port in 2002
as a Senior Engineer
in the Engineering
Department. He joined
Aviation in 2011 as
a Senior Program
Manager, and was
appointed LaGuardia
Airport’s Manager
of Physical Plant and
Redevelopment in
2014, assuming the
role of Deputy General
Manager in 2016. He has
been deeply involved in
the redevelopment of
LaGuardia Airport and
the recent grand opening
of Terminal B. Now, he
will have the opportunity
to take part in the JFK
redevelopment now
underway.
Callahan, Executive
Director of Syracuse
Airport, has risen in
the ranks in jobs from
ground transportation
to public information
officer. In 1997 she
worked for then
Syracuse airport
commissioner Charles
Everett, current Deputy
Aviation Director
and Interim General
Manager of JFK
Airport. She held the
job of City of Syracuse’s
Commissioner of
Aviation prior to her
Directorship.
Callahan becomes
the second in command
at LaGuardia under
General Manager
Lysa Scully. This team
of two top women in
aviation is unique
in the country and
is a testament to the
professionalism that
leads to opportunities
for woman in aviation.
Congressman Meeks speaks with a TSA worker at JFKIAT.
Photo by Jeff Yapalater
Continued from page 1
Similar to scenes
reported from across
the country, JFK TSA
workers described
hardships such as
paying their rent,
mortgages, concerns
with adverse credit
reporting, commutating
costs and having to work
another job. One worker
said that he received a
letter recently from a
credit reporting agency
stating that his risk
rating was increased
and his credit score
dropped 38% because of
the shutdown.
Workers asked what
they could do to deal
with landlords and credit
cards. Meeks said that
they should contact the
credit card companies,
landlords and banks
to explain what is
happening and ask
that extend extensions
for payments without
penalty. State Senator
Sanders Jr. also showed
support saying he would
call the banks to see
what they are doing to
mitigate negative credit
reporting.
One woman offi cer
said,“ it is was mind
boggling and very
emotional not knowing
when we they are getting
paid.”
While Meeks
carefully listened to
their concerns, there
were several side
conversations among
those attending sharing
their frustrations and
similar stories about
how the lack of salary is
affecting their lives.
One worker said
that even though his
wife works, things were
still tight and he was
concerned about the
future of this job.
Another worker, on
the job for over ten years,
said he had to take a part
time construction job
to help him make ends
meet.
Another concern was
the cost of commuting.
Even though the
AirTrain is offering free
rides to governmentaffected
workers, many
drive or take the LIRR
to the airport. The out
of pocket expense over
a month’s period of time
was hurting according
to workers.
Meeks left the meeting
saying, “We stand with
you and will work to end
this shutdown”.
An AFGE
representative thanked
the Congressman for
showing up on a Saturday
and on short notice to
listen to the concerns
over the shutdown and
the negative fi nancial
impact it was having on
the affected government
workers.
Continued from page 1
Meeks meets
with TSA workers
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