The Vancouver Airport Authority announced May 13 that Tamara Vrooman will replace the retiring Craig Richmond as its president and CEO effective July 1, and run its Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
Vrooman spent the last 13 years as president and CEO at Vancity, Canada's largest community credit union. Previous to that, she was deputy minister in B.C.'s Ministry of Finance, overseeing the government's $100 billion in borrowing and cash requirements and its $36 billion fiscal plan. She worked closedly with former Finance Minister Carole Taylor in negotiating contracts with public servants that included signing bonuses and ensured labour peace during the 2010 Olympic Games.
In 2015, Vrooman was named the top CEO in B.C. in Business in Vancouver's CEO of the Year Awards, in the major private company category.
She is also following a similar career path as David Emerson, who was the airport authority's CEO between 1992 and 1997. He was also deputy minister in B.C.'s Ministry of Finance and the CEO of a financial institution (Canada Western Bank) before being appointed at the airport authority.
Vrooman, who is the first woman to lead the airport authority, had been on the authority's board of directors since 2011. In 2019, she recused herself from the board in order to be considered as a candidate for the executive positions. The board then conducted a global search for Richmond's replacement.
“Tamara is a visionary executive with an exemplary track record leading large, complex institutions in both the private and public sectors,” said Annalisa King, chair of the authority's board of directors.
“She has led transformative change resulting in global recognition and commercial success, all while doing good. This, combined with her comprehensive understanding of YVR gained by her nine-year tenure on its board of directors, will enable her to reimagine YVR as a benchmark airport of the future. With a career-long commitment to the betterment of British Columbia, she is the ideal person to lead YVR forward.”
The announcement comes at a time of turbulence for the airport authority. It welcomed more than 26 million passengers this year, and now expects that its traffic will fall to between eight and 15 million passengers annually because of government restrictions on air travel as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. That drop in passenger volume first prompted voluntary departure packages, and then, earlier this week, layoffs.
The airport authority had employed about 550 people and its intent was to reduce that by about 25%, laying off unionized workers and management.
It is not just the airport authority that is slashing its workforce. Richmond told BIV on March 27 that more than half of the approximately 26,500 workers at the airport were laid off.
Only a few months ago, YVR was in a pitched battle with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to lure passengers and new airlines.
"I know from experience that crises provide an opportunity for innovation, creativity and renewal," said Vrooman in a statement. "I am eager to get to work as we chart a path forward that supports safe and efficient passenger and cargo travel, while recognizing YVR’s important role in the Lower Mainland, B.C. and the global markets we serve.”
