OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. (WTRF)

There’s a new chief development officer for aviation at the Ohio County Airport.

Kevin Price has been chosen to fill the new position, and he’ll work out of the airport.

His job will be to attract business, manufacturing and a higher education component to aviation there.

He’s already working on a program with Marshall and West Liberty universities for several fields of study.

One will be a four-year degree called “professional flight.”

“It is a program to train these students to come out into the industry and go a corporate route, go a commercial route, do things of that nature,” said Price. “But there will eventually be other programs in aviation business management. They’re looking at some programs in professional drone development and flight.”

“He is going to be developing relationships with educational institutions, with business organizations and with a lot of different partners in the aviation world,” said Zach Abraham, Ohio County commissioner. “It’s an area that could be really good for growth and development.”

Not only will he network with colleges and universities, but with area high schools, both public and private.

Students can choose aviation mechanics as a career path in high school, and shorten their time in college by six months.

Price says the mechanics course would also prepare students for work in the oil and gas industry.

He most recently served as chief development officer for Yeager Airport in Charleston.