FORMER CAPE AIRPORT MANAGER TAKES POSITION WITH FARMINGTON

Randy Holdman, former Cape Girardeau Regional Airport manager who more recently worked in construction management and real estate development for Drury Southwest Inc., has become assistant administrator for Farmington.

The move marks a return to his home area: He is a native of nearby Bonne Terre, and his parents live in Farmington.

Holdman, a retired Air Force colonel, served as manager of the Cape Girardeau airport 13 months before accepting a position with Drury Southwest.

Holdman, who started at Farmington June 1, serves as assistant to Jim Dismuke, who moved from assistant administrator to administrator of Farmington.

Dismuke spoke to the Jackson Business Recruitment Committee last year. He discussed Farmington's economic development.

Farmington, a city of 11,500, is in the process of restoring its business area, said Dismuke. Farmington has more than 200 retail businesses that generate $175,000 a month in sales taxes.

"As assistant administrator I'll be working with personnel issues and concentrating on various operational programs," said Holdman. "I'm looking forward to the new job."

Farmington has had a lot of growth in recent years, said Holdman. "I look at the new position as a big challenge," he said. "I see a lot of things happening here."

Holdman was one of 75 applicants for the Farmington position.

A career Air Force flight officer and pilot, Holdman attended Mineral Area Community College at Park Hills for one year before his appointment to the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs.

After graduation from the academy in 1970, Holdman obtained a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana.

He also served as a squadron commander at Nellis Air Base in Nevada.