HIAL has promoted three staff at Stornoway Airport to senior management positions.

Seonaid Clarke has been named as airport manager, Jim Currie as senior airport fire officer and Martin Johnstone as senior air traffic controller.

Seonaid Clarke, from Stornoway, joined HIAL in 1992 as a part-time administrative assistant at Stornoway and shortly afterwards trained to become a flight information services officer (FISO) taking charge of the control tower for out-of-hours search and rescue and air ambulance flights. She went on further to become airport security officer and was part of a team that implemented a security programme at smaller airports to comply with new government legislation post September 11th. In 2002 she was seconded to Sumburgh Airport in Shetland as assistant airport manager.

Martin Johnstone began working for HIAL in 1992 as a trainee air traffic controller at Stornoway Airport and became an air traffic controller in 1993. Martin, who is actively involved with the Air Training Corps (ATC) at Stornoway, has been promoted to senior air traffic controller following the departure of Malcolm Hay to be air traffic services manager at head office.

Jim Currie joined HIAL in 1987 as a fire fighter at Islay Airport and has worked in that position at Inverness and Stornoway Airports. He was promoted to the position of leading fire fighter at Campbeltown Airport before taking up the role of sub/officer manager there. He moved to Stornoway in 2001 as sub officer.

These latest promotions highlight HIAL’s commitment to staff development and retention.

John Hay, regional manager for HIAL, said: "I am very pleased that we have been able to recruit from within to fill the positions at Stornoway. They have all shown a commitment and desire to succeed in their chosen professions. HIAL prides itself on its excellent staff development schemes and Seonaid, Jim and Martin are evidence of how this helps us develop and retain quality people. All employees at HIAL are given the opportunity to develop their careers and are offered training and supervision to ensure they have the necessary qualifications to fulfill their potential."

ENDS