July 2019: The Institute studied various components of the airport’s structure and activities, comparing them with those in socio-economically similar regions. Ten-year occupation projections were considered as well. This examination of regional airport operations informed the development of recommendations for service optimization.
2018: The Institute assessed passenger needs, plans, and general satisfaction to project future air travel trends while identifying gaps in the airport’s services. The resulting recommendations focused on high incidences of business travel, an increasingly diverse population, and marketing.
May 2016: The Institute competed a study that assessed passenger needs, plans, and general satisfaction which allowed the Institute to project future air travel trends while identifying gaps in the airport’s services. The Institute made recommendations focused on high incidences of business travel, an increasingly diverse population, and marketing.
Dr. Jolene Carey-Pace joined The Institute Team in 2021 as a Research Analyst. In 2023, she was named Senior Research & Policy Analyst. 
Sarah, a former Institute intern, joined The Institute in April 2021 as a Research Assistant. She started her new role as a Research Analyst in January 2024. 
Ooms is responsible for all facets of research, organizational strategy, and management. Ooms is an active principal investigator in all Institute research. Ooms has been nationally recognized as a leader in regional economic development. She turned that skill into a research institute to help other regions develop and prosper. Her strategic skills have allowed The Institute to expand its services to the private and non-profit sectors for research and analysis in community health needs assessments, strategic planning, market and feasibility studies, and economic impact analysis.
Jill Avery-Stoss joined The Institute in June 2018 to fill the newly-created role of Research, Data, Intern & Administrative Coordinator. She assists with the collection and management of data for purposes of ethical and efficient analysis. She visits partner campuses to market The Institute’s internship opportunities, and participates in event-planning logistical activities as well. In 2021, Jill was promoted to Director of Operations to reflect the diversity in her job description and the additional marketing and communication functions she successfully mastered in 2020. In 2022, Jill was named Chief Operating Officer after expanding into both research and administrative management functions. Jill is taking on project management, fundraising, and other executive leadership functions of the organization. In 2024, Jill Avery-Stoss assumed the role of President of The Institute, effective January 2025.