William A. Restall Named Chairman of the Canadian Airports Council

Halifax International Airport Authority President and CEO Tom Ruth Named Vice Chair

OTTAWA, April 14 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Airports Council today announced that Saskatoon Airport Authority President and CEO William A. Restall has been elected chairman of the association for the next two years. Tom Ruth, president and CEO of Halifax International Airport Authority, has been elected the association's new vice chair.

Mr. Restall has served on the board of the CAC since 2004, since 2008 as vice chair, and replaces outgoing chair Barry Rempel. Mr. Rempel, who is president and CEO of Winnipeg Airports Authority, retains his seat on the CAC board.

"Under Barry's tenure, the CAC has successfully transitioned to a new membership and board structure and is well positioned for its role as the voice of the airport community in Canada today," said Mr. Restall. "In the coming years, the CAC will remain instrumental to Canada's airports as we evaluate our role as economic engines for the communities we serve as well as our role within the broader global airport community.

Mr. Restall has been president and CEO of Saskatoon Airport Authority since 1999. One of the first seven executives accredited by the International Association of Airport Executives, Mr. Restall has 36 years experience in air transportation.

While at Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport, Mr. Restall successful oversaw the airport's devolution from federal government control to a non-share capital airport authority. Today the airport has an asset value of $350 million, has over 700 people employed at the airport, and provides a total annual impact to the community of $150 million.

In addition to his role at the CAC, Mr. Restall is a director of the Saskatchewan Aviation Council, and a director of the Northwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives. He also is a past-president of the International Northwest Aviation Council, and a past director of the International Association of Airport Executives.

Mr. Restall received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from the University of Winnipeg and a Bachelor of Commerce in Administrative Studies from the University of Manitoba.

Tom Ruth Assumes Vice Chair Position

Tom Ruth was appointed president & CEO of the Halifax International Airport Authority in January 2008.

Prior to joining the authority, Mr. Ruth had been president & CEO at Oceanex Inc. until its privatization late in 2007. From 2004-2007, he was president of Canadian North Airlines, a 100 per cent aboriginal-owned airline connecting Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton to Canada's North. During his tenure, the airline had three record years of revenue and profit growth and diversified substantially into a full service scheduled passenger, cargo and charter airline.

From 1994-2004, Mr. Ruth held executive level positions at Livingston International. During his last five years at Livingston International, they more than tripled profits, grew their market capitalization seven-fold and twice received the annual award as one of Canada's 50 Best Managed private companies.

Previously, Mr. Ruth worked for Northwest Airlines for 10 years and was general manager of the Eastern Region in the cargo department.

About the Canadian Airports Council

The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) is the voice for Canada's airports. Its 47 members represent more than 200 airports, including all of the National Airports System (NAS) airports and most significant municipal airports in every province and territory. Together, CAC members handle virtually all of the nation's air cargo and international passenger traffic and 95% of domestic passenger traffic. They create in excess of $45 billion in economic activity in the communities they serve. And more than 200,000 jobs are directly associated with CAC member airports, generating a payroll of more than $8 billion annually.

For further information: Daniel-Robert Gooch, Director of Communications and Policy, Canadian Airports Council, [phone] ext 16, [email protected]