50 | ưƢƥƦƢƧƠƭƨƧƜƥƢƧƭƨƧƜƨƮƧƭƲƜơƚƦƛƞƫƨƟƜƨƦƦƞƫƜƞƁſƁƅƝƢƫƞƜƭƨƫƲ Community Service is a gift. It is a gift to the community as well as to the organization where individuals choose to serve. In 2025, the Clinton County Port Authority Board saw two long-serving Board members retire from the Board. Brian Smith joined the Port Authority Board in 2011, appointed by the Clinton County Commissioners to complete the remainer of a term for John Limbert. Walt Rowsey joined the Board in 2015, and was elected Chair, where he served until he left the Board. Brian had big shoes to ill when he joined the Board. For years the Board leaned on his expertise while we built a hangar, reacted to insurance costs, sold miscellaneous obsolete equipment, vehicles and more. We expanded the footprint of leased space at the Air Park dramatically during his tenure. Brian was here for our 5-year anniversary, our 10+1 anniversary (COVID), and for our 15th anniversary of the donation of the Wilmington Air Park back to the community. He has served as our Finance Chair, and HR Chair. Always willing to give when we needed it and offer helpful and insightful perspective. When Walt joined this Board, he started his understudy work in April or so before he joined the Board oficially in October. He attended meetings and grew to understand the Air Park and the Community relationships even before he was able to vote. 2015 was a big year – we were hiring a new Executive Director, we were getting several new Board members, and we had just completed a $15m Hangar project. We received an ODOT Grant for concrete – one of our irst. By the time he was “oficial” we were beginning negotiations with Amazon, the irst time. Under Walt’s visionary leadership, the Port Authority secured Amazon Air’s major operations at Wilmington Air Park, establishing it as Ohio’s highest- volume cargo airport. He championed the Port’s expanded role as the county’s oficial economic development agent as well as the need for the expansion of public infrastructure, creating an integrated, collaborative countywide development program. Some of the times have been great fun – after-hours celebrations; awards events and videos to go with those, buying new snowplows and visiting concrete and paint projects on the runway, and so much more. Some things have been challenging – project negotiations, iscal choices, and moving meetings to virtual formats, and navigating loss. Brian and Walt were part of the team that transformed the organization from inancial uncertainty into Clinton County’s economic development engine. Both have given the Port Authority and the Community the gift of their time and talent for many years. Our thanks to them and to all who have served with the Port Authority, or any Community Board of Directors.
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