West Music’s Steve West appointed to Cedar Rapids Airport Commission

CEDAR RAPIDS - Steve West, chairman of the board for West Music, has been appointed to the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission, which oversees The Eastern Iowa Airport.

With his appointment, West, 72, carries on a somewhat recent tradition of having a Johnson County resident on the commission.

But West, who lives between North Liberty and Iowa City and has been flying out of Eastern Iowa Airport for close to 60 years, said he feels he represents more than a community, but rather the entire region.

'I don't view myself as an Iowa Citian or a Cedar Rapidian, I'm a Creative Corridorian,” West said.

Members of the commission are volunteers appointed by the mayor of Cedar Rapids and approved by the Cedar Rapids City Council.

West takes the seat of former commission member Josh Schamberger, who decided earlier this year not to seek another three-year term on the five-member commission. Schamberger joined the commission in 2010.

Schamberger said he recommended West and Iowa City Council Member Susan Mims as possible replacements on the commission.

'The commission is going to receive a huge upgrade with the addition of Steve West,” said Schamberger. 'It's in good hands.”

Schamberger, president of the Iowa City/Coralville Convention & Visitors Bureau, was appointed about six years ago by Mayor Ron Corbett, who at the time wanted to see the commission take on a more regional demographic to help the airport better compete with nearby airports in the Quad Cities area.

'It was precedent-setting. Historically the city of Cedar Rapids only had people from Cedar Rapids on the commission. I really felt the airport was transitioning into a regional airport and one of the ways to kind of develop that brand loyalty is to give people a seat at the table,” Corbett said.

Schamberger was the first non-Cedar Rapids resident to sit on the commission.

'That's really what Mayor Corbett changed when he appointed me, he wanted The Eastern Iowa Airport to truly represent Eastern Iowa,” Schamberger said. 'It's certainly been one of the most enjoyable boards or commissions I've been associated with.”

West said regional perspective is crucial for the airport to continue to grow and succeed.

'I think that's very natural, to have people throughout the region having a voice, because obviously we want to get as many people in - including the south end of the Creative Corridor, as well as the north end - utilizing the airport,” he said.

Also serve on the airport commission: Marcia Rogers, partner with campaign strategy services organization Political Brinq; David Yoeman, senior director of enterprise communications with Rockwell Collins; Carroll Reasoner, vice president for legal affairs and general counsel with the University of Iowa; and Pat Baird, retired CEO of AEGON USA, now Transamerica.

The commission is the policymaking body for the airport, which is owned by the city of Cedar Rapids, but does not receive any city or Linn County property tax revenue.

l Comments: (319) 339-3175; mitchell.schmidt@thegazette.com