On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Comox Valley Airport Commission (CVAC), Board Chair Ken Dawson is pleased to announce the appointment of Shirley de Silva, as Chief Executive Officer of CVAC effective January 4, 2010.

The appointment was made following an international search process conducted jointly by CVAC and the executive recruitment firm of Pinton, Forrest, and Madden of Vancouver, B.C.

"Our board conducted an extensive executive search process, in both Canada and the United States, and we are very pleased to welcome Shirley de Silva to the CVAC team. We look forward to her joining us in the New Year. She brings with her an impressive record of accomplishments from her previous roles as Airport Manager at the Kingston Norman Rogers Airport in Ontario, as well as at the Bathurst Regional Airport in New Brunswick" said Dawson in announcing the appointment.

"Shirley is an engaging, thoughtful, and collaborative leader – she has significant experience in the field of airport management and operations and will be a great addition to the CVAC team" he continued.

Well regarded by her peers in the field of airport management, Shirley de Silva places airport customer service and safety management at the top of her list of priorities. Under her leadership, Kingston Airport underwent a master planning process, infrastructure improvements and re-branding of the airport. She is a certified member of the Canadian International Association of Airport Executives, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Airport Management Council of Ontario as the association's Vice President. She is a graduate of the University of Windsor and Concordia University.

"I want to express my thanks to the CVAC board for the confidence they have placed in me. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with the community on the continued success of the Comox Valley Airport – I am joining a dedicated and hardworking team, and I look forward to developing strong relationships throughout the community."

Ms. de Silva begins her new duties on January 4, 2010. Shirley, her husband and two children are excited to be relocating to the Comox Valley and become part of the community.

The Comox Valley Airport Commission is the governing authority for the operation of the Comox Valley Airport. The Commission is broadly representative of the Comox Valley community. The Commission has a nine-member board and is a non-profit, federally incorporated entity. It was established through letters patent in 1996.

For more information visit our website at www.comoxairport.com . Media Contact: Ken Dawson, Chair – Comox Valley Airport Commission 250-338-9702 250-890-0829 250-702-3727 (mobile)