Southport Aerospace Centre will be seeing some changes going into the new season with news its CEO Stephen Maybury will be moving on.

Maybury has accepted a position with the Saskatoon Airport Authority as its new CEO and president. He is taking over the post from outgoing CEO and president Bill Restall.

"In a thriving city like Saskatoon, passengers are looking for increased services and options. A solid plan has been developed for the growth of the airport, and I am excited to build on and implement that plan," Maybury said in a statement on taking on his new position.

Southport’s chairman of the board of directors Jack Wilson said the board has appreciated Maybury's efforts over the past 2 1/2 years he has been with the organization.

"We are sad to see him leave," Wilson said. "He is doing an excellent job. We have a process in place and we are proceeding with the process to select a new CEO."

"We always knew we had a young ambitious person and there would be opportunities that come along," he added. "We knew that when we selected him. That was one of the reasons we selected him, because he was ambitious, with new ideas, and wanting to achieve new heights."

Maybury is expected to be starting his new position in early December, and until that time may have an opportunity to help train the incoming CEO at Southport when someone is selected to fill the position left vacant.

"If we haven't made the selection by the December date when he leaves, there is a management plan that will see existing staff look after his position until we fill it," said Wilson.

The board is beginning its search, and has started a request for proposals out to select a firm to assist in conducting a national search for a new CEO.

Wilson especially noted how Maybury has made some good strides in his work at Southport while he has been with the organization.

"He has achieved signing some contracts with our customers; we have completed a new facility for our flight training and have negotiated contracts to have it occupied," said Wilson of the new Barker Building student accommodation site.

He added Maybury has also helped set up some useful financial management processes for the organization.

“He has done some very good work for us,” said Wilson. “It’s put us in a very good position to move forward.”

angela.brown@sunmedia.ca