A Letter from GTR Airport’s Mike Hainsey

June 15, 2022

Dear Fellow MAA Members,

I want to take this opportunity to tell each of you en masse what an honor and pleasure it has been working with you over the past 19 years. As many know, I will end my time at the GTR Airport on June 30th as Brenda and I look forward to my second (first was from the Air Force) and final retirement. While I will still stay active supporting the cause of aviation in the rural South, we plan to travel and start ticking off the ol’ bucket list items.

Throughout my time at GTR, I have been blessed to be able to work on a national level with AAAE, ACRP and our congressional delegation. While I interacted with some outstanding people throughout the country, nowhere did I see the type of camaraderie we have here in Mississippi with our airports and the people who work with them. I have found that Mississippi airports freely help each other as we all strive to support our communities with the safest and best aviation operation possible. I now realize the type of cooperation we have within our state is unique, and it reflects the Mississippi culture that we all are proud of.

As we transition to the next phase, Brenda and I will still call Columbus home, and I’ll be active in MAA. I urge you to continue working with the people in the Mississippi airports system and to lift up our state as an example of how to serve our communities safely and prosperously.

God Bless,

Mike Hainsey