Big Sky Airlines’ top exec resigns

Big Sky Airlines Co. said Wednesday its top executive has resigned to “pursue personal interests.”

President and Chief Executive Kim Champney moved to Billings in January 1998 from San Antonio, Texas, to manage Big Sky Airlines.

By JAN FALSTAD
Of The Gazette Staff

“I had a contract and the contract expired in July,” Champney said.

Big Sky Airlines, based in Billings, employs 136 people locally out of a total of 190 employees.

In December 2002, MAIR Holdings, Inc., an affiliate of Northwest Airlines of Minneapolis, bought Big Sky and changed it from a publicly traded to privately held company.

Lynette Goodman, manager of marketing programs and services in Billings, said Champney’s job will be filled.

In the meantime, Chief Financial Officer Fred deLeeuw will assume all the administrative and marketing functions.

She also said the number-two man will keep his current position.

“Craig Denny, who is our chief operating officer and executive vice president, will continue to manage all the operations,” Goodman said.

Big Sky’s board chairman Jon Marchi of Polson said, “We want to wish Kim the best in the future and thank him for his six years of hard work and dedicated service to Big Sky.”

The regional carrier flies 427 flights each month – an average of 69 per day – to 19 cities in Montana, North Dakota, Idaho and Washington state.

MAIR Holdings took over the former Mesaba Holdings, which started airline service 60 years ago in northern Minnesota. MAIR is publicly traded and was selling for $8.25 per share at mid-day. After three positive quarters in a row, MAIR reported an operating loss of nearly $7.4 million for the first quarter of this year.

The airline has been trimming staff by not filling positions when people leave. However, the airline is hiring in one area.

“We are doing pilot recruitment right now and they are doing some new hires and classes with pilots,” Goodman said.

Champney, who has worked in the airline business for 23 years, said he will take some time to vacation.

“My family and I really love Billings and Montana and we’d sure love to stay here,” Champney said. “We’ll probably take some time off and visit some family and then look for another job.”

Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.