The Florida Department of Transportation’s Aviation Office has recognized Eric Menger, a business development manager at Hanson, with a 2020 Distinguished Aviation Service Award for his 24-year aviation career while serving as the director of Vero Beach Regional Airport in Vero Beach, Florida.
The Florida Airports Council (FAC) also recognized Eric with an honorary lifetime member designation, which is given to a retired former president or chairman, a former member who has served more than one term on the FAC board and who have retired from active involvement in airport management or related aviation roles.
Eric served in the U.S. Navy from 1981 to 1991 as a naval aviator, aircraft commander and flight instructor. In 1991, he joined the U.S. Naval Air Reserve as a lieutenant commander, retiring in 2007 as a captain (O-6). While serving in the Naval Reserve, he was the Vero Beach Regional Airport director, responsible for the planning, design, development and oversight of more than $52 million in construction projects at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 139, Transportation Security Administration-federalized and FAA-tower-controlled airport with more than 200,000 operations per year.
Eric has served in many leadership positions, including Florida Airports Council chairman and National Exchange Club district president, and he holds a commercial pilot license with more than 2,500 hours in military and civilian aircraft. After retiring from the airport, Eric joined Hanson’s Orlando, Florida, regional office in July 2020 and serves as a client liaison, developing aviation business in Florida, the Southeast and Midwest and government markets.
“It has been a privilege to receive these honors. I have had the honor of many gratifying years collaborating with FDOT District 4 and the Aviation Office, as well as serving with the FAC,” Eric said. “The aviation industry is poised to rebound after the impacts from COVID-19, with strong support for infrastructure improvements at the federal and state levels. For airports and government interests that are looking for unmatched engineering and consulting skills coupled with practical airport management experience, Hanson will deliver.”