April 21, 2014

Picente Appoints New Aviation Commissioner

News Photo

Russell Stark New Aviation Commissioner

County Executive Anthony J. Picente announced today that Russell Stark has been appointed as Aviation Commissioner at the Oneida County Griffiss International Airport. Russell Stark is retired from the United States Army. Over an accomplished 32 year career Russell Stark had served in a multitude of roles culminating as the Deputy Chief of Airspace Command and Control, Aviation Operations and Plans, Fort Riley, KS.

Anthony J. Picente Jr. said “Russell Stark comes to this position with a vast collection of different experiences through his time in the United States Army and the private sector with the right skill set to continue the development we have seen at Griffiss International Airport as it remains a key economic engine in this community.”

After retiring from the United States Army, Stark served as Task Lead/Senior Analyst/Senior Instructor Pilot for Systems Studies & Simulation, Inc located in Huntsville Alabama. Stark also has Master Degrees in Aeronautical Science and Business Administration.  Stark graduated from Holland Patent High School in 1980 and is married with one son and two grandchildren.

Stark said of the appointment “Over my career I have had the fortune of serving my country in the Unites States Army and to be given the chance to bring that experience back home is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I thank County Executive Picente for the chance. Griffiss International Airport has an unbelievable amount of potential between the things they have already accomplished and the new designation by the FAA the sky is the limit.”

Stark’s experience varies from supervising 11 operations and air traffic personnel while providing oversight of all manned and unmanned air operations operating in installation air space supporting 19,000 personnel to providing recommendations and technical advice to an allied nation Air Force during the planning phase of $25 million airfield upgrades. 

The function of the Griffiss International Airport is to provide a safe and well maintained facility to serve the current and future commercial, corporate, business, governmental, and general aviation needs of Oneida County and the State of New York. The goal of the Griffiss International Airport is to expand its economic impact in order to ensure that the community achieves the maximum benefit from the airport’s potential for enhancing economic growth. In 2013 Griffiss International was named one of only 6 FAA testing sites to integrate unmanned aircraft into commercial airspace.

Oneida County Partners