Micetic honored at Telluride Airport opening

19 Dec Micetic honored at Telluride Airport opening

[click “Play” to hear Clint’s interview with John Micetic, Telluride Regional Airport board Chairman]

Neil Armstrong

Thursday night, December 17, was a busy night in Telluride. The snowboard World Cup is in town and the Peaks Resort hosted a big party for guests and locals; the Telluride Historical Museum showed the recently completed “We Skied It”, featuring Senior Mahoney; artist Susan Sales had a wonderful opening at the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art.

John Micetic

Meanwhile, a large audience heard astronaut Neil Armstrong speak about the changes at the Telluride Airport; John Horn, talking about the corporate thinking that went into the original planning; Board Chairman (and former Telluride mayor) John Micetic telling how it all got done. But it was vice chairman Ed Roufa who brought down the house, presenting John with a plaque which documented the new name for the airport: Telluride Regional Airport at Micetic Field. 

Ed Roufa with the plaque

In our conversation on Friday, John told me he was blind-sided by the honor. It was a natural: Micetic was instrumental in getting the airport built from the beginning, and has been the chairman of the airport board longer than most of us have been in town. His contribution has not only been administrative. He has worked in the trenches, joining with airport manager Rich Nuttall in countless sessions with the FAA, flipping burgers at locals’ events at the airport, and being a tireless salesman for the airport’s importance to the Telluride community.

After a summer of having the runway closed for the reconstruction, John told me there are now a lot more supporters among the local business community.

Congratulations John, and congratulations Telluride for doing what many said could not be done: building and improving a commercial airport in a small mountain resort town.