After Quentin Hix finishes orientation this week, he’ll hang up a picture of his Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic and get to work.

Quentin Hix

Hix became the new airport manager at Denton Municipal Airport and will start his duties next week, said Mark Nelson, the city’s transportation director.

This is the second time Hix has been employed by the city. He previously worked for several years as a gas well inspector, Nelson said.

Hix left Copper Canyon, where he was the town administrator, to accept the airport manager position.

Hix said he plans to use both backgrounds — gas well operations and community management — in his new position.

“The airport is like a small community, working with a small corporate staff by rolling up my sleeves and working as a team,” Hix said.

The airport manager position oversees three full-time staff members.

Hix will help propel plans for economic development and growth at the airport even further with his previous experience, Nelson said.

“One reason we’re really excited is he’s got experience in economic development,” Nelson said. “At the airport, based on the demand, the job varies from day to day.”

There will be no learning curve as Hix interacts with the city, said Rick Woolfolk, chairman of the airport advisory board.

“We’re glad to have him on board,” Woolfolk said. “We have a number of projects that need to be managed over the next several months and I know that not having a manager was overloading the staff and this will make sure things are done on time.”

Projects on the horizon include a new airport business plan, continued gas well development and enhancements of the existing infrastructure at the airport.

Drilling on a fourth gas well started last month, which will bring more money into the airport for various projects, officials said.

“We’re in the early stages of a business plan and it is a good time for him to come on so he can work through it with us,” Woolfolk said. “We are trying to identify how to go forward on development. We are a different airport than we were 10 or 20 years ago.”

CANDACE CARLISLE can be reached at 940-566-6889. Her e-mail address is ccarlisle@dentonrc.com .