Allegheny County Executive Fitzgerald nominates his economic development director to airport authority

Allegheny County Economic Development Director Lance Chimka has been nominated to fill a vacancy on the county Airport Authority board of directors.

County Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s nomination was presented at a county council meeting Tuesday. The nomination will now be reviewed by the council’s committee on appointment review before a final vote is scheduled.

If confirmed, Chimka, who has served as county economic director since September2018, will hold the seat until Dec. 31, 2019.

The nine-member board has had a vacancy since August2018, when former county economic development director and airport board member Bob Hurley stepped down to take a private-sector consulting job.

Chimka was nominated to fill the vacancy left by Hurley, airport spokesman Bob Kerlik said.

Chimka lives in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood with his wife and two children. He has a master’s degree in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University and previously served as regional director for Gov. Tom Wolf’s Action Team in the state’s economic development department.

Before that, he was a project manager and manager of business and community development for Allegheny County.

Jamie Martines is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jamie at 724-850-2867, jmartines@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Jamie_Martines.