Eppley Airfield in Omaha is buzzing with activity these days, and not just because of record-breaking passenger traffic that exceeded 5.2 million in 2024. Several hundred contractors are working on a $1.1 billion modernization and expansion project that, when completed in 2028, will increase Eppley’s space by more than 70%, create a unified concourse, centralize ticketing and security screening, add airline gates and international arrivals, and incorporate new dining and retail choices for travelers.

Literally in the middle of that activity is Omaha Airport Authority CEO Dave Roth, who joined the Kansas City Fed’s Omaha Branch Board of Directors in 2024. Roth oversees operations at Eppley, Omaha’s primary public airport, and at Millard Airport, a smaller public general aviation airfield in the city. Roth said he sees Eppley’s massive project as embodiment of his organization’s mission.

“Our specific mission is to provide premier customer service and airport facilities through operational excellence,” Roth said. “With that, we equip our professional team to provide that premier service to the flying public and also the aircraft operators, the airlines and all of the tenants that operate out of the airport.”

Roth, who has been part of the Airport Authority’s executive team since 2003, said that his affiliation with the Kansas City Fed goes back several years.

“It’s been a longstanding relationship working with the Omaha Branch,” Roth said. “I’ve known several of the Board members, and the professional caliber of the Boards and the Kansas City Federal Reserve staff has been second to none. For me, I find it very rewarding and inspiring to be able to contribute to that.”

Compiling and sharing data from his industry have been key aspects of those contributions.

“Being with the airport, we collect very unique data at all times, and I think it’s very relevant for the meetings with the Board and staff because we have very little lag time on our data,” Roth said. “We can see labor trends, constructions costs and supply chain changes. We also see the business and leisure travelers and how they use discretionary spending.”

Together with information from his fellow Board members, all of that data helps round out a broader economic picture for the Kansas City Fed, he said.

“First of all, for myself and my organization, my hope is that we can be an asset to the Federal Reserve as those larger decisions, especially for monetary policy, are made,” Roth said. “Building these relationships with the Board and staff is incredibly important. I can gain knowledge from my peers on the Board about what they’re seeing, and typically it confirms what we’re seeing within our industry.”

Learn more about Mr. Roth here.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City or the Federal Reserve System.