LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS APPOINTS ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MANAGERS

(Ontario, California – May 24, 2006) Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) appointed a new airport manager and assistant airport manager to oversee Ontario International Airport (ONT), effective May 29.

Jess Romo, ONT’s new manager, has over 17 years experience with the City of Los Angeles, eight of which were at LAWA as property manager at Los Angeles International, ONT and Van Nuys Airport. He has extensive experience in lease administration and property management, having worked at the Bureau of Engineering, Department of Water and Power, and General Services.

Romo, a Claremont resident, holds a master’s degree in industrial psychology from California State University at Los Angeles and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California at Irvine. He is also a State Licensed General Certified Appraiser with two designations from the Building Owners & Managers Institute International (BOMI) as a Real Property Administrator and Facilities Management Administrator.

ONT’s new assistant airport manager, Kim Ellis, has over 17 years experience with LAWA . He was ONT’s acting airport manager since April 2005 and previously served as assistant airport manager, chief of airfield operations, landside operations manager, and airport operations coordinator. He also worked for America West Airlines and Lockheed Air Terminal, Inc., and served in the United States Marine Corps.

Ellis serves on the Ontario Chamber of Commerce board of directors. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in airport planning and management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Ellis holds a master of business administration degree in aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a bachelor’s degree in aviation management from Southern Illinois University. He is also an Accredited Airport Executive with the American Association of Airport Executives.

ONT is one of four airports owned and operated by LAWA, a Los Angeles City department that oversees an airport system in the nation’s second largest metropolitan area. The other airports owned and operated by LAWA are Los Angeles International, Palmdale and Van Nuys. ONT handles over 7.2 million annual passengers and 575,000 tons of cargo.