The Broward County Aviation Department Retains ADK Consulting & Executive Search to Recruit Aviation CFO
June 5, 2026 – The Broward County Aviation Department recently retained ADK Consulting & Executive Search to lead in its search for an aviation CFO for the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and North Perry Airport (NPA). The assignment is being led by Theresia Schatz and Kim Kenville.
The new aviation CFO will oversee the financial and business aspects of FLL and HWO. This position will play a critical team role in developing and implementing short- and long-term strategies to maximize revenue and ensure fiscal sustainability. Specifically, this position will lead/direct strategic and business initiatives related to growing all airport revenue areas and define/implement initiatives for profitable and sustainable business performance and revenue growth.
This executive-level supervisory position provides financial leadership and oversight of functions including accounting and control, auditing, budgeting and forecasting, financial analysis and planning, debt issuance and management, and risk analysis and management.
Airport management experience is highly desirable in at least one or more of the following core disciplines/areas of focus: finance; audit; commercial management; risk management; airline lease agreements and negotiations; concessions; property/real estate; parking or ground transportation; cargo; or air service development. Comparable experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform responsibilities will be considered.
This position requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business administration, finance, accounting, or a closely related field. It also requires six years of executive-level supervisory experience leading large, complex airport projects in areas of assignment, which may include business, financial/lease management, or budget activities, for a medium- or large-hub airport.
Founded in 2003, Atlantic Beach, FL-based ADK specializes exclusively in talent searches for the airport management community. The firm is led by founder and president Doug Kuelpman, who has a history of over 40 years in aviation. ADK’s services include retained executive search, interim management, organizational consulting, and leadership development.
Related: ADK Consulting & Executive Search Seeking New CEO for the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority
Ms. Schatz, senior project manager, has over 40 years of diverse experience in the aviation industry. She has experience with various aspects of the industry from the airlines to numerous airport and Port Authority positions and most recently with the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP). Prior to joining ADK in 2022, Ms. Schatz was senior program officer for the ACRP at the Transportation Research Board under The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in Washington, D.C. Since 2008, she has managed a variety of current, applied research projects geared to finding current, practical solutions to airport issues. The range of research topics she managed for the airport industry included operations, environmental, business and finance, human resources, safety, policy, and planning.
Ms. Kenville, senior consultant, has over 30 years of experience in airport management, aviation education, research, and consulting. For more than 27 years, Ms. Kenville has been a respected professor at the University of North Dakota (UND), where she led the airport management curriculum and played a pivotal role in the development of UND’s Master of Aviation and Aerospace Sciences and PhD programs. As a nationally recognized expert in aviation, Ms. Kenville has authored or co-authored 12 reports for the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), addressing critical topics such as employee resiliency, airport mutual aid, emergency communication, terminal response, aviation education, and funding strategies.
Gainesville Regional Airport Search
ADK recently assisted in the recruitment of Paul Mehrlich as the new CEO of Gainesville Regional Airport. His appointment comes after a comprehensive nationwide search to replace outgoing CEO Allan J. Penksa, who has retired after 18 years in the role.
Mr. Mehrlich is a results-driven aviation executive with more than 15 years of progressive leadership in general aviation and Part 139 commercial operations. Most recently he was executive director of aviation for Texarkana Regional Airport in Arkansas where he led a $49 million terminal construction project and a new 20-year master plan while positioning the airport for future expansion and innovation. Previously, Mr. Mehrlich served as environmental operations manager for Dallas Love Field, managing high-profile regulatory programs including noise abatement, wildlife hazard, and regulated international waste.
Related: ADK Consulting & Executive Search Recruits Executive Director for Lincoln Airport
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
