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Ryan Corrigan has a vested interest in seeing the Craig Field Airport and Industrial Authority be successful.

Not only is he succeeding his father, Jim Corrigan, as the executive director, the former Air Force base was also where he was born.

“I was born here and I wanted to come back here,” Ryan Corrigan said. “So I have a personal interest in making this place that it’s supposed to be.”

Ryan Corrigan, who is retiring from the National Guard with the rank of colonel, was announced as the new executive director of the Craig Field Airport and Industrial Authority during a press conference in their board room Tuesday morning. He plans to begin his new role between Oct. 28 and Nov. 1.

While he may not be serving in his official capacity yet, he said he will be working “as an unpaid intern” while he learns the community and what is expected of the new position. One of the most crucial roles he sees is forging strong relationships with local stakeholders who want to see the airport thrive.

“I think it’s important to understand the community partners and community relationships that are already established so that when I actually do take the seat, I am ready to rock and roll from day one,” Col. Corrigan said.

Amos Moore, vice chairperson of the Craig Field Airport and Industrial Authority Board of Directors, introduced Ryan Corrigan to the board of directors and other visitors during the press conference. Moore said they put together a search committee to do a nationwide search. The 10 finalists represented five different states.

But one candidate stood out to Moore and the committee members.

“We knew that we needed somebody that had military experience, because the military trains, they spend billions of dollars a year training, and that’s what they do Monday through Friday. They train for the eventuality of having to go to war,” Moore said. “We wanted to have somebody that had connections to try and get the military to come and look at us as a place to train. This individual that we looked at had those credentials.

“This individual was a pilot, flew F-16s. Some of you may be familiar with the Blue Angels, the Navy Blue Angels or the Air Force Thunderbirds. This individual also flew. He was an instructor, command instructor and lead pilot for the Air National Guard demonstration team on the East Coast. He flew planes upside down. I wouldn’t do that. But he did. You mean the wing works that way?

“But that candidate had those credentials. We also needed somebody that had civil aviation experience. The candidate that we selected was a pilot for a time for FedEx. So we had, the candidate had military experience, he had FedEx experience.

He’s familiar with every area of airfield management, from air traffic control down to the civil engineers that cut the grass and fix the bump. So he’s well experienced.”

Moore said Ryan was planning to retire from the National Guard and was in the process of moving to Dallas County to be closer to his daughter, who is attending the University of Alabama.

Dr. James Mitchell, president of the board of directors, said over video conference that he was thankful for the board’s work in the process.

“I’d also like to thank the board for all of the work that they have put in, because as Mr. Amos Moore said, we conducted interviews,” Mitchell said. “We did not just say, hey, throw a name in a hat, pull it out, let’s select someone. No. We went through an intensive process and we feel that we came out with the best choice of all those that we interviewed. So I look forward to working with Col. Carrigan. I know the board will.”

Ryan said he was thankful for the team that’s already in place thanks to his father’s work.

“That team is what’s going to carry us into the future,” Ryan said. “I would like to thank the board of directors for giving me the opportunity to do this. Together, our overall goal is to restore prominence to Craig Air Force Base, what we used to call it, and the industrial complex and make this location known as a low-cost, credible and efficient place to develop partnerships.”

Jim Corrigan, 72, announced his retirement earlier this year. He thanked the board for allowing him to serve for seven years. said he had some advice for the new executive director.

“And the last thing I’ll say is, Ryan, I’m on speed dial,” he said. “Give me a call anytime something comes up. I may steer you the wrong way, but it won’t be the first time.”