New manager ready for liftoff at local airport

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

New Warren County Airport manager James Stephens officially took over the reins of the facility on Jan. 5. Stephens replaced former manager Kevin Bishop who left in October of last year. (Charles W. Johnson photo)

Warren County Airport now has a new manager in James Stephens, formerly of Greenville, S.C., who recently replaced longtime manager Kevin Bishop. Bishop, who had held the position for over six years, resigned in October to take a sales position with Eastern Aviation Fuels, the company who supplies aviation fuel for the airport.

Stephens, a licensed pilot, came to aviation management in a roundabout way.

“I’d gone to college in Florida,” Stephens said. “Wasn’t majoring in what I wanted to major in – I wanted to get into aviation. I quit the second semester of that year, got my pilot’s license, then went to Bob Jones University in Greenville South Carolina.”

Stephens first got his mechanic’s license, with an associate’s degree in aircraft maintenance, then went on to get a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management.

Prior to accepting the position at Warren County Airport, Stephens worked for 18 months at a charter company in Greenville in the maintenance department.

Stephens said he actually found out about the job from Bishop, who was so impressed with Stephens, he recommended him to the Airport Commission as a good candidate to replace him.

Stephens was offered the job the day after Thanksgiving but took some time to talk things over with his wife, Charlene, and finally accepted the job in mid-December. He didn’t actually take the reins until Jan. 5.

“He’s catching on and he’s falling right in there,” said Airport Commission chairman Joe Lane Howard. “He seems to be getting along with everybody and that’s what we were looking for.”

Stephens’ wife, a kindergarten teacher, is still in Greenville and the couple is in the process of selling their house there to make the move to Warren County. Stephens says he is impressed with the airport and is looking forward to working with a well-established team to take it into the future.

“From what I’ve heard, of those owned by local governments, it’s one of the better airports in the state,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity, and I’m looking forward to seeing it grow.”

Stephens has a full plate in his first year, with several projects in the works.

“We’ve got a fencing project that we’re going to start,” he said, “and a lane clearing project. We’re in the middle of doing a land acquisition project for future growth of the airport. And then in spring we’ve got a runway overlay project where we’re going to redo the runway. That’s all for this year.”

Once he gets his feet wet, Stephens says he has some other plans.

“After I get involved with the community and the airport for awhile, I’m going to try to do some community events out here to educate the community on the benefits of the airport.”