Thur honored as state’s airport executive of the year

The Wyoming Airports Coalition has honored Paul Thur as its 2024 airport executive of the year.

Thur of Greybull has served as Big Horn County’s airport manager since May 2021 when he resigned as Greybull’s town administrator and finance director.

He wears three hats for the county, overseeing operations at both the North BHC Airport in Cowley and the South BHC Airport in Greybull while also leading the county’s land planning office.

“Paul is an example of a manager that does whatever it takes to do what needs to be done,” wrote professional engineer Carson Rowley, who nominated Thur for the award.

Rowley credited Thur for overseeing “the Hangar Taxilane Relocation Project in Greybull, the first perimeter fencing project ever in Cowley, a REILS replacement project in Cowley, pavement maintenance projects at both airfields, found local-only funding for the fuel tank replacement project in Greybull, is currently 75% through master plans at both airports and used the BIL funding to push forward a new pilot’s lounge in Cowley that is currently under construction.”

Along the way, Thur has been a tireless promoter of the South Big Horn airport, organizing student field trips and collaborating with outside organizations such as Search & Rescue, Road & Bridge, the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting and Cloud Peak Drags to increase usage.

Thur also serves the community in an emergency management role — he’s a certified floodplain manager and a FEMA reservist — and in economic development through his roles with GrowGreybull and the Greybull Area Chamber of Commerce.

Deb Craft, a Big Horn County commissioner, said, “Paul has been a tremendous asset to the county and to the town of Greybull.”

Thur was announced as the winner at the Wyoming Airports Coalition’s recent annual conference in Saratoga.  The Coalition also presented an Aviation Achievement Award, a Project of the Year Award and its President’s Award of Excellence.