COVINGTON, Ga. - The sky is the limit for City of Covington Airport Manager Vincent Passariello who is a little more than a month away from retirement.

After 42 years of professional career, Passariello will retire July 21 to spend more time traveling and visiting family.

His professional career started in 1976 after receiving a Bachelor’s degree from Michigan Technological University and a Master’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, both in engineering. He also received a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Miami.

Passariello has spent the majority of his career working around construction and development. He owned his own companies for 32 of the 42 years of his professional career. In 2007 he accepted a position as Deputy County Engineer for Newton County. Three years later, in 2010, he accepted the position as airport manager for the City of Covington.

As a pilot, Passariello realized how important the position was to him and working with aircrafts and the airport was an opportunity he could not pass up.

“The most challenging part of this job has been to work and coordinate with so many entities at the same time,” he said. “I was exposed to work with the FAA, GDOT, Army Corp of Engineers, the EPA, Newton County and the City of Covington for all projects completed and ongoing.”

Prior to Passariello’s arrival to the airport, Covington Municipal Airport had just completed the lengthening of its runway to 5,500 feet. During his time as airport manager, the airport has continued to see growth.

“We have built new hangars, built a new apron on the southeast side of the airport, did a mass grading to create room for new corporate hangars, built all the infrastructure for future hangars, built a new taxiway and access road and we are now in the process of completing the construction of a new terminal building,” he said.

As Passariello leaves, two projects will continue to develop. The widening of the runway from 75 feet to 100 feet and a justification study to lengthen the runway to 6,000 feet.

“Vincent has been a tremendous asset to the City of Covington and in particular the Covington Municipal Airport,” Covington City Manager Leigh Anne Knight said. “We are in the process of ushering in a new era of expanding airport services and Vincent has been a huge part of overseeing that growth. He will be missed greatly.”