The Akron-Canton Airport has named a new marketing director.
Lisa Davala has been promoted from marketing coordinator to director of marketing. She will be responsible for leading all strategic brand, marketing, communications, air service development and public interaction initiatives.
Davala, 28, replaces Kristie Van Auken, the airport’s senior vice president and chief communications officer, who left the airport after 20 years this summer to take a similar role in Raleigh, N.C.
When Van Auken announced her departure, airport President and CEO Rick McQueen said he knew it would be difficult to replace her. Van Auken worked her way up to senior management from director of marketing. McQueen also said he knew Van Auken had trained a team for the future of the airport.
“Lisa’s promotion to director of marketing is the direct result of her impressive growth and significant achievements at the Akron-Canton Airport,” McQueen said. “Her ability to quickly adapt to the dynamic industry environments of aviation and marketing, while keeping the CAK brand front and center sets us up for a strong future.”
McQueen said he hopes the community gives Davala a chance to forge her own path. He said when he took over the airport, he knew he similarly had big shoes to fill, following the late airport director Fred Krum.
“Kristie’s shoes are really big, just as Fred’s were. I’m not asking Lisa to be Kristie. I want Lisa to be Lisa,” McQueen said.
Additionally, airport officials will be seeking a chief operations officer in the future to aid McQueen with some of the planning and operational roles, he said.
Davala joined the airport marketing team in 2014 as marketing coordinator. In a short time, McQueen said she has significantly increased community engagement and awareness, strengthened existing relationships and cultivated new relationships with airlines, building upon the airport’s brand and increasing service and market awareness to the community.
Davala holds a bachelor of science in public relations from Kent State University. She’s an active member of Torchbearers, CORE Young Professionals, ystark! and dedicates time volunteering with various causes and charities in Northeast Ohio.
Davala was not available for immediate comment as she is currently on her honeymoon, McQueen said.
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ and see all her stories at www.ohio.com/betty