The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport’s new director and CEO, Ronald Mathieu, will earn a base salary of $300,000 per year for three years, according to a three-year employment contract provided by the Birmingham Airport Authority.
Mathieu began working as the airport CEO on June 1.
The Birmingham Airport Authority will reimburse Mathieu for moving expenses related to moving his family to Birmingham from Little Rock, Arkansas. He’ll be reimbursed up to $25,000 total for travel between the cities (up to two trips for he and his wife), up to four months of temporary lodging while waiting to move into a home and costs of terminating his current lease.
He also gets benefits like other airport employees including health, vision, dental and life insurance, and can get reimbursement of YMCA membership fees. He’ll also receive a laptop, iPhone, iPad and company credit card for business costs.
From his start date until Dec. 31, Mathieu will get 12 days of paid vacation time and 12 days of paid sick time. Beginning in 2020, he will get 24 days of paid vacation and 12 days of paid sick time.
The Birmingham Airport Authority board, will be able to increase his salary each year of the three-year contract. He will also be eligible for a bonus for each calendar year of his employment. The board will determine the amount of that bonus, which could come in the form of cash, retirement plan contributions or tax-deferred compensation plan contributions.
Mathieu most recently served as executive director of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas. In March, he won a 3 percent raise, increasing his annual salary to $235,994.65, according to Arkansas Online. Mathieu got a $45,000 bonus at his Arkansas job in March and contributions equal to 2.5 percent of his salary to his two retirement accounts, according to Arkansas Online.
Mathieu is replacing Al Denson, who retired in January 2018 after 34 years with the airport. Denson had a base salary of $398,549 plus bonuses.