WARREN, Ohio – With ambitions of getting another airline at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna Township, Trumbull County commissioners appointed Scott Lynn, a pilot with DeBartolo Corp., to the Western Reserve Port Authority Board of Directors.

Commissioners noted during their meeting Wednesday that there were three “excellent” candidates for the position and said they chose Lynn based on his previous experience on the board and his flight and airport knowledge. 

Lynn previously served on the port authority board for a decade. His new term will run through the end of 2029.

Commissioner Tony Bernard said Lynn’s knowledge and expertise in the airline field, as well as his previous 10 years on the port authority board, made him the right choice with everything going on at the airbase and the flight school, which is operated by Youngstown State University.

Those sentiments were echoed in a statement from Anthony Trevena, executive director of the port authority.

“On behalf of the Western Reserve Port Authority, we want to thank the Trumbull County commissioners for their thoughtful consideration and appointment of Mr. Scott Lynn to the Western Reserve Port Authority Board,” Trevena said. “Mr. Lynn exemplifies a wealth of aviation expertise, long-standing commitment to the Youngstown‑Warren Regional Airport, and proven leadership on the port authority board. We are thrilled to welcome him back to the board, where his insight and steady leadership will be invaluable to our continued progress.”

Commissioners also noted the importance of once again having an airline operate out of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport for travelers and businesses in the region.

“We hope to bring a commercial and/or private airline service to Youngstown airport and maximize the runway,” Commissioner Denny Malloy said. “We have the second longest in the state that’s going to have millions and millions of dollars worth of improvements. We got an air school now for pilots, in cooperation with YSU. There is a lot going on there in the aeronautical field, and the port authority is instrumental in overseeing the airport.”

Commissioner Rick Hernandez added that he knows Trevena has been actively “courting” an airline, whether it be a regional or major airline.

After the commissioner’s meeting, Malloy noted that when Allegiant Air was flying commercially from the airport, he used it several times for trips to St. Petersburg, Fla., and Myrtle Beach, S.C. Malloy said the flights he took were packed all the time. He said Allegiant likely left to serve a larger airport that required less marketing, not because of a lack of interest.

“We just need to find somebody to believe in us and find the right deal for them,” Malloy said.

Allegiant stopped service after 11 years in January 2018. There has not been commercial air service from the airport since that time.